Scandalous
by crazyelf22
Summary: Lily Evans has always despised James Potter. But when some devious blackmail forces her to "fake date" him, she can't help but wonder what exactly he isn't telling her. Will the secret help her see the Marauder in a new light, or push her further away?
1. Did You Hear About Evans and Potter?

_**Scandalous**_

**Chapter One: Did You Hear About Evans and Potter?**

* * *

"Lily!"

Caught by surprise, Lily Evans fidgeted and knocked over her orange juice. Cursing, she flew under the table to retrieve her wand from her bag before it made any more of a mess.

After a quick, muttered, "_Scourgify_," she turned to Mary. "Do you _have_ to do that this early? What _is_ it, Mare?"

"There's something weird in the paper," she replied, her eyebrows furrowing in scrutiny.

Lily rolled her eyes and wondered what could possibly be so interesting about the _school paper_ of all things. No one ever paid much attention to the _Hogwarts Herald_. (And, Merlin, who could blame them, with that _awful_ name? Really, did they let a _first year _pick it?) All the Hag Mag (as dubbed by the girls in Lily's dormitory, after Rita Skeeter, who ran the paper) ever had in it were these stupid articles about the Quidditch rivalries, mostly about the latest bruising between the Slytherins and Gryffindors, and all the "juiciest" gossip that usually raged through the school. Mary, who always read the paper ("Well, I want to know what's going _on"_) was one of her best mates, but Lily really didn't see the sense in knowing whom Veronica Smethley's latest arm candy was. (Apparently, her current fixation was Hufflepuff Gilderoy Lockhart. Fascinating, isn't it?)

"Lily," she went on, "I had no idea you had a boyfriend. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I don't."

Mary raised an eyebrow. "Then what's this here, about you and Potter?" She leaned over to show her the front page of the paper.

"Don't be _ridiculous_," Lily countered, "How could you ever think I'd sink _that _low? It must be some other Lily. It's a bit of a common name, you know. Ish."

"Hmm. Says here that you two—and I do mean _you_, it says Evans—were seen snogging in the Astronomy tower last Friday."

"_WHAT?!_"

Viciously grabbing the paper and straightening it out to get a better look, Lily read the headline ("_From Loathing to Loving: The Couple We All Saw Coming_") on the front page, the one Mary was pointing at while giggling behind her other hand. Lily had to read through twice more before blinking and then looking at her friend.

Mary—and Alice, who seemed to have become interested in the conversation once it took a turn for Lily's embarrassment—seemed to have no explanation. A mere shrug was their response.

Lily stared, dumbfounded at the paper. Her face felt hot as her eyes drifted down the page. It—the _entire_ page, for _Merlin's sake!_—was devoted to the so-called _love _between her and one James Potter, whom the author had beefed up as "the school's pride and joy on the Quidditch pitch" and the "heart-throbbing, incredibly handsome object of every girl's affections." Evidently, Lily was so _fortunate_ that he had picked her out of all the other girls with her merely "decent style in clothing" and "unique" hair-color. The writer even had the nerve to say that, "Evans ought to be thanking her lucky stars." Yeah. _Right_.

There was even a picture. It was real, all right, but Lily happened to know that the picture wasn't of their sweet talk, or of a whispered conversation of them discussing whether the broom closet on the South-side hall, or the prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor was the best place for a good snog. (Lily was absolutely horrified to find this exact phrase in the picture's caption). Actually, she knew it to be of them discussing their Heads duties, followed by an annoying come-on, courtesy of the prat Potter. She also knew that promptly—couldn't have been more than a few seconds after the shot was taken—she thumped him on the nose. However, much to her disgust, the photo had somehow been charmed and mutated into picturing a "glowing Lily Evans reaching up to receive a kiss from her beloved James Potter" instead.

"Why didn't you tell us, Lils?" Mary asked excitedly. "We always thought you _hated_ Potter! Though I'm glad you changed your mind. I never wanted to mention it before—you've got an awful temper, really—but you two make the most _adorable_—"

"I am _not_ dating _James effing Potter_!" Lily refuted sourly, throwing the paper on the table without a care that it knocked over her juice again. "You'd think you two would've _realized_ by now if I was!"

"Er—Lily?" Blushing, probably more for Lily's embarrassment than her own, Alice interrupted her rant and pointed a timid finger towards the rest of the Great Hall.

Lily turned to look at the other tables and found a sea of heads turning away from her as if they'd all been watching, and listening, the whole time. "Somebody just _kill_ me," she mumbled, letting her head fall in her arms.

"Oh, but Lils, think of our _children_!"

Lily's already sour mood reached an all-time low. "Go _away_, Potter," she snarled, lifting her head to see that it was indeed James Potter standing just by her shoulder. "I'd rather not think of any children right now, especially when I fit _you _in the equation. I just had breakfast, you see, and Filch'll have a _fit_ if I throw up in here."

Ignoring the jibe, Potter grinned and put a hand on her shoulder. "But _Lilykins_, I thought you'd want to see your _Jamesie Wamesie_. I mean, we had _such_ a good time Friday night. I can't get you out of my head. Apparently." He chuckled.

Lifting her head up, Lily narrowed her eyes at him. He was having far too much fun with this. "It was _you_," she accused. "_You_ did this, didn't you?"

James breathed a wistful sigh. "I wish, Lily flower. I can't believe I never saw the ingenuity in a prank like _this_ before!"

"You think this is _funny_?" she demanded, shoving him away from her.

"Well, yes, actually. It is pretty funny," he replied, grinning.

She glared at him. "It's not funny. It's _horrible_, Potter. I would _never_ go out with you! I don't even _like_ you."

James grinned. "Good morning to you, too, Sunshine," he bade her before giving a harmless peck of his lips to her cheek.

He earned himself a good slap at his "oh, so heavenly face" (as Rita Skeeter puts it) for that.

* * *

"Hey, Evans, is it true? What everybody's saying about you and Potter?"

That's _it_. The next person to say 'Potter' bites it.

Instead, much to her displeasure, Lily contained herself and turned to face her newly arrived seat partner in Defense Against the Dark Arts for the day. It was Alfred "Alfie" Ackerley, a Hufflepuff seventh year, looking back at her, a polite expression of curiosity on his freckled face.

"No, it's not."

He smiled. "Good. I never thought you and Potter"—Lily was getting_ really _tired of hearing that name—"really meshed well, you know?"

No, really?

It wasn't exactly a secret that she didn't like James Potter. Actually, it was a well-known fact among the student body that he's been chasing after her since third year and she hasn't once paid him any heed, nor shown any intention of doing so.

At least, that had been the facts until that morning. By this time, the rumors had circulated and everybody was convinced that they had been desperate lovers in secret for Merlin knows how long.

She chose not to reply and just shrugged. Ackerley didn't seem to know what to say to that and so said nothing. Fortunately.

A small period of awkward silence passed as Lily took out her quill and parchment to prepare for her note taking, hoping that he would just leave the conversation at that.

But, a few moments later, she heard him slide his chair a little closer to her own and the bubble of hope inside her burst. _As long as he doesn't_—.

"So, Evans. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to…go out with _me_ sometime?"

Curses. Was every guy at Hogwarts the same? They only cared about Quidditch or finding a nice girl to snog. That was it, really. Oh, and food. Quidditch, food, and women. _Ugh_.

It wasn't that Ackerley was a terrible suitor. He was a decent student, Hufflepuff prefect, and even in line for a career as a Healer after he graduated, to boot. There was nothing wrong with him, really. He just wasn't…who she was looking for. What would she talk to him about? What would they _do_? Lily was definitely not a party-type of girl, but the idea of a date with ordinary, run-of-the-mill Alfie Ackerley didn't exactly thrill her.

But Lily was known among her peers for her empathy. And no matter what kind of attitude her thoughts presented, she really did hate to hurt other's feelings. (Unless the 'other' was James Potter, of course).

"Uhh…" Suddenly, an idea struck her. Perhaps not the best one, but it was the first.

"Oh. Ohh, you meant _James _Potter? Yeah, we're—er—dating, all right. Haha, I thought you meant the…uh, the _snogging_. We definitely didn't—_by any means_—kiss in the Astronomy tower last Friday. _At all_."

"Right. It was in the roomy Arithmancy classroom on the fifth floor," a new voice chimed in.

Without thinking, Lily agreed, "Right."

But a second later, when Ackerley raised an eyebrow, she seemed to realize. Whirling around, she came face-to-face with—of _course_—James Potter.

He was smirking, too, the git.

"No, _no_," Lily was quick to amend, turning back to Ackerley, hoping that he would keep this conversation to himself—she just _had_ to go this route instead of giving him a simple 'no.' "We weren't snogging _at all_, is what I meant."

"Oh, but _Lils_, how can you be so quick to dismiss our love?" Potter whined. He pulled Lily into a squeezing hug, which she just barely tolerated in order to keep up pretenses for Ackerley. Then, turning towards her partner, he said, "Yeah, that's right. We're completely in _love_. So there'll be no need for your—er—plans, Alfie."

Lily frowned at the sight of Ackerley's face. Looking unhappy and pretty embarrassed, he mumbled something incoherent and then gathered his things, moving away to another desk. Potter happily replaced him.

"You did not have to be so _mean_," she hissed, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "And do you think you laid it on thick enough? _Yeesh_, I know the Hag Mag clubbed us lovebirds, but that doesn't mean we have to _act_ like it."

"So now you've moved on to accepting _us_?"

"_No_. That was just—" Lily looked around to be sure Ackerley was out of ear shot. "—That was just so I didn't have to turn him down and hurt the poor guy's _feelings_."

"But you're not denying it."

"I never said I was going with this stupid story, either, Potter. Actually, I've been thinking of a—."

The door behind them slammed shut and the sound of their teacher's footsteps were heard across the quieting classroom. "Afternoon class. Everyone in your _seats_ if you please."

Lily quickly went silent, paying her utmost attention to Professor Merrythought as she went to the front and began to introduce the lesson.

Barely a minute into it, however, she felt a poke at her arm and glanced over at Potter, raising an eyebrow and mouthing, "_What?"_ in such a way that she hoped her annoyance got through to him.

Apparently not. Smirking, he slid over a spare piece of parchment. In his neatly written script was the note, '_What were you saying?'_

Taking a quick look at the front, Lily made sure to get what the key points of what Merrythought was saying (and to ensure she wouldn't be caught passing notes, _especially_ with Potter) and then snatched the scrap of parchment. Writing hastily in a rather scribbled mess somewhere between cursive and print, Lily replied, '_Tell you later at Heads_.'

Potter seemed to accept this answer and looked forward as Merrythought continued her lecture on the proper theory and use of an Impediment Jinx, leaving Lily to her peace.

* * *

After the conclusion of the prefects' meeting that night, Lily gathered her things and made for the exit of the Library, which was the usual meeting place. Throughout the entire meeting, Potter had really been playing up the whole 'dating' thing way too much. So it was with annoyance that she found herself walking the route back to Gryffindor tower when he caught up beside her.

"That was great," he commented, laughing. "Did you see the look Alfie was giving me? He was so _pissed_."

"Yeah," she replied dryly, "It's _fun_ to humiliate people!"

"Oh, come now, Evans. I didn't _humiliate_ him. He's just a sour loser. Poor bloke's probably just jealous of my _charm_."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's it."

Potter must've figured she wasn't in the best of moods because he quieted for the next minute or two. But not long after, he asked, "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?" He wore a smug grin, as though she were going to profess her love for him at any given moment.

"Don't count your eggs before they hatch, Potter," she warned, frowning. "I was only wanting to tell you that I've been thinking of a solution to our problem. It's actually a good thing you mentioned that. I forgot."

"Don't count my… What are you _talking_ about?"

"It's a Muggle expression," she muttered. How could she forget? The bloke was a pureblood and probably would've never heard it before. "But that's not the point. The point is we have to fix this—this _mess_."

He blinked. "What mess? Do you mean the rift between Davies and Nott?" he asked, referring to an argument that had occurred between two of the seventh year prefects at the meeting. "Because, if you ask me, I'd say that Nott has it coming. It's about _time_ someone tried to sink their fist into—"

"I don't _care _about Davies wanting to kick Nott's arse," she replied impatiently. "Well, I do, but that's. Not. The. _Point_!"

"Calm down, Evans. If we start rowing, people will think we're not _actually_ dating."

"EXACTLY!" Lily stopped to rub her temple. Why is it that being much too close to Potter usually had the effects of giving her a massive headache?

"Potter, we need to find a way out of this—stage a break-up or whatever. Anything. Nobody _believes_ me when I tell them it's not true!"

"Aw, but Lils, you're my little Flower. How could I ever even _pretend_ to break up with you?" He smiled sweetly.

No. Wait. _Not_ sweetly, Lily chastised herself. More like…deviously. Yes, that's it.

"I'm serious, Potter," she snapped, stopping in her tracks and turning her whole body around to face him. She wagged a finger at him—which, sadly, only threatened his chest, as he was so much taller than she—and continued, saying, "I don't like you. _Especially_ not like that. How about this. Tomorrow, you get down to breakfast early."

"Why?"

"So I can break up with you, nitwit, that's why!"

"You know, girls don't normally warn their boyfriend first. I know you may not have had much experience, but trust me. That's the way it goes."

"You are _not _my boyfriend. Just be there so we can sort this whole thing out, okay? Nobody believes me when I tell them that we're not really dating, and if we can't change their minds, this is the only way."

Feeling accomplished, Lily set off again and they walked in silence for a few meters.

"And for your information, I have had _plenty_ of experience with boys, thank you very much!"

"Lily, dear, _I _don't count."

She glared at Potter and suppressed a very strong urge to slap him. She probably would have if she hadn't already met her quota for the day (she generally tried _not_ to start the fights they shared).

"So, what if it blows up in your face?" he asked after a few more moments of silent walking.

"_What?_" She turned to face him again. "What are you on about now?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just saying that I feel bad for you. You're the victim here. Who could _possibly_ forgive the girl who _dumped _James Potter and crushed the heart of Gryffindor's pride and joy?" He held a hand over his heart, looking histrionically stricken.

Lily's face contorted with disgust. "You've got some nerve, you know that?"

Potter gave a triumphant smile. "Of course. Nothing but nerve could've made me nick that Billywig from Creatures class in third year and put it in McGonagall's desk. She went _berserk_."

But, the sad part was, he was right. Not about McGonagall going berserk—well, actually, that _was_true. But that's not the part she was worried about. Everybody, even students in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, liked James. And everybody, especially all the Gryffindors, liked Quidditch, too. She certainly wouldn't be gaining any fans by supposedly breaking his heart and maybe causing the Gryffindor team to lose any games.

A moment later, Lily decided, "Fine then. _You'll_ just have to break up with _me_."

He snorted. "I hate to burst your bubble, but that's not going to happen."

So, he knows 'burst your bubble,' but not 'don't count your eggs before they hatch?' What is _with_ that?

All unimportant thoughts aside, however, Lily asked, "And why not?"

"Well, for one thing, that's carelessly uncharacteristic of me. If we were in a relationship—_fake or not_," he emphasized when she opened her mouth to retort, "I wouldn't be the one to end it. I would've thought that was obvious. It hasn't escaped your attention that I've wanted this for _years_, has it?"

Lily blushed and tried to look off to the side and hide it. "_No_. I'm quite aware, thanks."

Potter chuckled. "And even if I did consent to it for _your _sake, people would question it. My dumping you would be like Dumbledore casting an Unforgivable on a student. It just _doesn't happen_."

"Besides," he added moments later, "I don't want to be the bad guy either. Do you realize how much people might hate me if they thought that I left you heartbroken or something?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "I know," he replied to her implied message. "That's just what they might _think_."

"Well, we have to break-up _somehow_," she said exasperatedly. "Come on. How about…a few galleons? I'll even throw in a week's worth of Charms assignments. What do you say?"

"I don't want your _money_. And not that I always appreciate _not _doing schoolwork, but I have a better idea."

* * *

**A/N:**I have successfully rendered myself into utter shock, posting a whole new story for the second day in a row. Granted, the first was only a oneshot and this one's been in the works for about a week, but STILL. I'm so proud of myself :D. Now if only I could finish my _other _WIP's...

I thought the idea for this plot was interesting and I hope that you guys think (and will continue to think - after more of the plot is revealed) that it is as well. As always, I want to extend my sincere thanks for even bothering to read this and I hope you'll let me know what you thought of it. :)


	2. The Hag Herself

**Chapter Two: The Hag Herself**

* * *

"This is _genius, _Reet."

Settling into a seat next to Rita, Cecilia Parkinson excitedly held up a copy of the _Hogwarts Herald_.

Rita briefly scowled at her so-called nickname. She absolutely hated it, but tolerated Parkinson and all her annoyances because of her yummy older brother, Peter, and the perks her family got from knowing several important witches and wizards in the Ministry.

So, putting on a cheery face, she said, "I _know_, right, Ci?"

Parkinson didn't really need much more of a prodding than that, and launched right into another one of her usual spiels. "I mean, this is, like, the biggest thing ever! _Everyone_ knows about how Potter's had a crush on Evans since, like, _forever,_ and all about their little _tête-à-têtes_. Then they _finally_ get together and _you_ get the story before anyone else! It's _brilliant_!"

She prattled on like that for a little while longer and Rita nodded here and there to keep up the pretense that she was listening. Parkinson was _insufferably_ annoying, certainly, but she did have her occasional uses.

For example, "Hey, Ci, did your dad talk to the _Prophet _yet?"

"He said he would this week," she replied, not privy in the least to the fact that Rita had ignored and then interrupted her. That was another redeeming quality of Parkinson—she wasn't a _complete _moron (though Rita often wondered), but she was still dim enough to be unconditionally loyal to the older of the two girls. "I made him promise to send me an owl about it _ASAP_."

"Great." Rita wasn't wild about waiting, but she was sure it would be worth it. Parkinson's father had _unbelievable_ connections to the _Daily Prophet _on account of the fact that he had gone to school with one of the editors.

"But don't worry!" Parkinson squealed. "You're a _shoo_-in! I've had people asking me all morning how you got the big scoop and where they can get a copy—we've probably gotten about fifty more orders since breakfast. At least! And _several _of those are subscriptions. Isn't that great? No doubt _that_ will impress 'em. Daddy says they're always looking for new ways to up sales, so _I'm _thinking that this will prove that—."

"Skeeter!" Another Ravenclaw, and a seventh year, like Rita, walked up to the two girls and sat down at the other side of the long table, holding up what looked to be a folded copy of that morning's _Herald_. Waving it in front of their faces, she asked, "Skeeter, what is _this_?"

"Looks like a paper, Edgecombe. Ever seen one before?" Rita smirked as Parkinson snickered behind a wavering hand.

Abigail Edgecombe wasn't exactly in her circle of friends—or, rather, companions. They never talked at all, really. Rita knew her to be the goody-two-shoes (in appearances—but Rita didn't believe it), ambitious, gets-whatever-she-wants type, though she wasn't entirely unkind. Just a nuisance.

Edgecombe rolled her eyes. "I meant the _article_, Skeeter. Why in Merlin's name did you print this? In Runes, Evans told me it wasn't true. Said it must've been put on for kicks." Leaving it at that, Edgecombe raised an eyebrow inquisitively at Rita.

Leave it to 'little miss perfect' Lily Evans to open her big mouth, Rita thought with a scowl. But, then again, she knew this would happen. She had planned for it, even. Because she had the biggest story this school would ever see (since perfect student Tom Riddle turning into You-Know-Who, that is), and this one was just a stepper to the _real_ stuff. The story Rita had in mind was too big to waste on the _Herald_.

That's why she was so eager to graduate and move on—to the _Daily Prophet_. There, everybody would hear about what Rita Skeeter had to say. She could change the world, or sway public opinion, if she wanted.

"Reet? What does she mean?" Parkinson was looking at Rita, obviously confused.

"I _knew_it," Edgecombe blurted triumphantly before Rita could speak. "The story's a fraud!"

"It is _not_," Rita snapped. "By tomorrow morning, I can guarantee that Evans will be head-over-heels for Potter," she challenged, holding her head up high.

Edgecombe rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I just came over here to tell you that this is _low_, Skeeter. Even for you. If you weren't Ravenclaw, I'd dock points." Without another word, she hitched her bag on her shoulder again and left the table, migrating further down to a more "sophisticated" batch of their peers.

Shaking her head, Rita went back to her lunch. "I don't know why she bothered. Edgecombe doesn't care about _morals_. All she's concerned with is being right. She has to know _everything_. _And_ who to blame. Just so she can remind everybody that she's "oh so better" than the rest of us." Rita wasn't worried, though. Edgecombe didn't care enough to tango with her. She certainly wouldn't risk her perfect record and clear route to the Ministry for a little skirmish over Lily Evans's reputation.

"Well, our readers _do_ want the truth," Parkinson replied. She seemed to battle with herself for a moment before saying, tentatively, "Rita, was that article really a _fake_?"

Parkinson's expression was priceless. Really, she looked _heartbroken_. Rita couldn't help but roll her mental eyes at her naiveté. Leaning forward, she asked, "Do you _honestly_ think Evans would all of a sudden give Potter the time of day? The girl's been snubbing him for years—I doubt she'd stop now. Besides, you know I want to go to the _Prophet_ after school. The only reason they'll even _think_ of considering someone on the _Herald_ is if I make big business here. And big story equals big business; simple."

"But how exactly will it help business if everybody thinks you're a liar?"

"It won't. The thing Evans and Potter don't know—yet—is that I'm _not_ a liar. Not completely, anyways. A little tweaking never hurt anybody."

"But—you just said yourself that Evans would never date Potter! Why would an article claiming it make any difference?"

"Oh, haven't you been paying any attention? The article won't make a difference—well, except in sales. Edgecombe just said that Evans is denying it. No, it's not the article that'll sway her. It's all about the right _leverage_. With just enough, you can do whatever you want."

"And you have the—er—right leverage, then?"

Rita smirked. "Let's just say that, when Potter finds out what I know about him and his friends, he _and_ Evans will be doing back flips just to keep my mouth shut."

* * *

"Come on," Lily asked. "How about…a few galleons? I'll even throw in a week's worth of Charms assignments. What do you say?"

"I don't want your _money. _And not that I always appreciate _not _doing schoolwork, but I have a better idea."

Lily stopped. "What…?"

"Be my girlfriend for the week, Evans," he proposed with a hopeful grin.

Her face collapsed into an expression of disbelief and what seemed to be—though he hoped it was a coincidence—annoyance. "Are you _serious_?"

"No, I'm James. I swear."

James flashed a smile at her, hoping she would see the joke in it. Jokes were usually good at smoothing things like this over. (Apparently, Lily knew this as well, as she implied it was a joke every time he asked her out).

But Lily only rolled her eyes and started walking again. "That was never funny, you know."

"Sure it is. You just don't get it. See, Sirius's name _sounds _just like 'serious.' It's a joke, Evans."

"Ha. Ha."

"So that's a no, then?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Would it be anything else?"

"A yes, maybe?"

She shook her head.

"Not even a _week_? Come on, Evans…"

"Don't push your luck, Potter."

Well, there blows that. But she'll come around…he hoped. Lately, he wasn't so sure, to be honest. James had been thinking a lot ever since the two met on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st that year and learned that, as Head Boy and Girl, they would be spending more time together than was per usual. When Lily didn't treat him quite as warmly as he anticipated (he had hoped the badge might bump his maturity points with her, at least a little), he started questioning whether she actually would ever come around. Sirius and Peter kept saying it was only a matter of time, and Remus was also pretty encouraging, telling him to just keep trying if it meant so much to him (it did), but Evans's feelings towards him haven't seemed to change a bit. She already had her idea of James Potter in her mind. But this year—he determined—this year, things would be different. He would show her a whole new James. One that she would want to be with—he hoped.

Suddenly, James felt a strange pull at his side and jerked to the left. Likewise, he felt Lily do the same, hitting him and stumbling over. A door just behind them—they'd been pulled into a vacated classroom, it looked like—slammed shut as soon as they were inside, and bolted itself.

"James!" Lily cried, sounding cross, when he pulled her to her feet. "What in the name of _Merlin_ did I say that makes you think this is _okay_?"

"Nothing!" he replied hastily. "I wasn't trying to—I—I swear, I didn't—"

"Of course not. I did."

James whirled around to see the speaker, positive that it was _not_ Lily's voice. He would know.

Bottle-blonde curls bouncing away, a fellow seventh year, Rita Skeeter, jumped off the desk she had previously been sitting on and walked towards them.

"What do you want, Skeeter?" Lily asked bluntly from his right. They both knew that she was the one who wrote the article about them and James was sure she was on Lily's hit list. He almost considered thanking her, for laughs, but thought better of it. It would probably upset Lily and Merlin _knows_ he didn't need any more of that. Besides, it didn't really do him any favors. Sure, it was funny, at first, but, really, it only gave Lily one more opportunity to tell him how much she didn't like him.

Skeeter smirked. "Heard about you and Potter, Evans."

"Write whatever you want. That doesn't make it _true_," Lily replied stubbornly. "We'll just tell everybody how you _lied_. Nobody in their right mind would seriously believe I'd go out with _Potter_."

_Ouch. _Did it escape her attention that he was _standing right there? _It was the way she just threw it out there, too, like they were only words. He'd been trying to tell her for years… She really had no idea how he felt about her. _No_ idea at all…

"Sure they will," Skeeter rebutted, rolling her eyes. "Everybody saw this coming. Well, everybody except _you_, Evans."

Really? Everybody? Either he was _really_ pathetic and obvious (which he already knew to be true—well, the obvious part, at least), or…he's been wrong about Lily this whole time. Maybe she really did like him. And she just hid it—only everybody but him saw right through her.

James snuck a glance at her from the side and saw that she was glaring heavily at Skeeter, as if she wished to burn her off the face of the earth with her stare alone.

Probably just the former, then.

"We'll stage a break-up," Lily persisted. _What? I thought we'd already ruled that one out…_ "Quick and easy. Everyone will have forgotten before you know it," she added with a smug grin.

"No," Skeeter said confidently. "You won't."

James snorted at her attempt to sound threatening. Really? He was—what, five-eleven? Whereas she was _maybe_ five foot? Yeah. He was scared.

"And you're in a position to tell us what to do?" he countered. "Look, I'm tired of this. Ten points from Ravenclaw for pissing my off, Skeeter. And don't try to pull this stunt again or—."

"I thought you might feel that way," she said, cutting him off lazily—something that annoyed him even further. "In that case, why not make a deal? You and Evans keep your truths to yourselves and do as I say and I'll let you and your little Marauders keep your precious _secret_."

James went rigid. She couldn't know. Skeeter couldn't _possibly_ _know_. She must be talking about something else. The Map. Or the Cloak. Yeah. Yeah, she was just talking about those… They had nothing to worry about.

Then why did her threat linger? He still felt a twinge of worry and decided to tread carefully. Just in case.

He was aware that Lily was watching him curiously, a question poised at her lips. He knew she didn't speak just because Skeeter was there. Thank Merlin. He wasn't sure he could lie to her, honestly.

"You don't know anything," he told Skeeter carefully.

"Oh, really?" She sidled over to confront him right to his face. "I know exactly where you were last night. I know what you _are_, Potter," she whispered.

Screwed. They were so, utterly and completely _screwed over_.

As it so happened, he _had_been at the Shack last night with the other Marauders. There wasn't much where Skeeter could go wrong, unfortunately, with a statement like that, and the evidence right there. James didn't like it, but he had to admit that there was an incredibly high possibility that she knew the truth. He wasn't sure how she could've possibly found out, but there was too much at risk to not take her seriously.

Wearing a smile like she knew that she had won, Skeeter skipped back to the desk and throned herself atop it. "So," she said lightly, "What'll it be?"

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you so much to those of you who read, reviewed [a special shout-out to **xXthenextbookwormXx**, **Roses And Teardrops**, **PentanglePrince**, **NJ**, and **ElvesWizardsCentaursOhmy**for their great reviews and encouragement!], favorited, and/or alerted the first chapter of this story! I really appreciate it and hope you guys continue to enjoy it. :D


	3. Stuck

**Chapter Three: Stuck**

* * *

Lily knew Skeeter's threat was serious. She noticed a distinct change in Potter's demeanor and realized it must mean something—she felt sure that he wouldn't look that worried for just _anything_.

"Why are you even _doing _this?" she demanded, watching as Potter hesitated to respond to Skeeter's ultimatum. "And why _us_, of all people? Does it give you some sort of sick satisfaction to force people to do things they don't want to do?"

"Oh, please, Evans. I could care less about you and Potter. It's the _attention_ I rather like."

Lily watched Potter ground his teeth in obvious loathing and clutch his wand with a tight fist. "And how exactly does _this _get you attention?" he spat at the blonde. "Pull some other stupid scheme and leave us out of it, Skeeter."

"Yeah, like I'm going to really do _that_, Potter. You and Evans here might just be the biggest news there is at this school—sad as that is. But the _Herald_? Nobody cares about that bloody excuse for a paper. At least, nobody did until _you two_ made the front page." Skeeter smirked. "Now _everybody_ wants a copy."

This declaration was without a doubt the most heinous lack of intelligence Lily had ever heard in her life. Why on _earth _should people get so worked up over a silly rumor? Even if it _was _true—who cares? Was it really headline news if she and Potter were to start dating? The thought really just disgusted her.

However, on the other hand, this held more truth than she would've liked. It was a rare thing to see a Hag Mag in the hands of anyone outside of the few 'regulars,' like Mary. But throughout the day, not a moment had gone by that Lily hadn't seen one of the papers, tucked in the crook of a student's arm, being slid across tables in class, sticking out of their bags…

It was madness. Complete and utter madness. She truly didn't understand how something like _this_ could possibly receive so much attention. The so-called shock and interest regarding the story couldn't last forever. Not even the student body was _that _stupid.

"You know," she said, voicing her thoughts with a proud smirk, not unlike the ones she wore when she beat out another student for the answer to a difficult question. "Sooner or later, they'll all get tired of talking about us. They'll move on and you and your _silly paper_ will be yesterday's news, Skeeter."

"Well. Then I guess you'd better give them something to talk about, huh, Evans?"

Her face growing hot with anger, Lily opened her mouth to retort. But before she could say anything, Skeeter raised an eyebrow, _daring_ her.

And she couldn't do it. Lily had no idea what this was about. But, no matter how much she disliked him, she couldn't intentionally hurt even Potter and his friends without getting the facts straight. Stumped, with nowhere else to go—and pretty upset about it—she remained silent.

"Don't bother trying to squeeze out of it, either, Evans," Skeeter warned. "If I hear even a whisper of this, Potter and his friends are _ruined_."

Lily looked at Potter and saw him returning her gaze. For once, there was no cocky, suggestive grin or raised eyebrow. There wasn't even a trace of his anger at Skeeter left. When she looked at him, all she saw was _panic_.

She had never, _ever _seen him panicked before. Not even when a few of his players had gotten themselves into the Hospital Wing a few days before the first game of the season. And, for Potter, who was Captain of the team and a Quidditch _maniac_, she knew that had been pretty freaking bad. And the thought that this was _worse_… She didn't know what to think just then, quite frankly.

Lily just really wanted to know what was going on. Her curiosity was killing her! Had they nicked something important and didn't want the trouble? No, that couldn't be it. Trouble was nothing for them, especially Potter and Black. No. It must be something really, really _bad_. And for the Marauders, that was saying something.

Lily didn't say anything else. And when she didn't, Potter sighed. "Fine, Skeeter," he told her dejectedly. "Have it your way."

Not bothering to say a word, and looking much too thoroughly pleased with herself, Skeeter then scampered off, leaving them with a victorious grin that made Lily want to slap it right off her smug face.

* * *

"Potter?" Lily tried as she hurriedly followed him down the halls, towards Gryffindor tower—she had to run just to keep pace with his long legs. "Potter, what _was_ that back there?"

But even after several attempts at asking, he didn't say a thing until he gave the Fat Lady the password and scrambled through, pulling Lily inside after him. He then made a beeline for the stairs to his dormitories, still tugging her along.

Despite their run-in with Hogwart's resident Hag, it wasn't very late, and so Gryffindors were still all over the common room. And much to her embarrassment, they looked up from their conversations, games, and homework to watch the display with knowing smirks, snickering and whispering to each other.

"_What_ do you think you're doing? I am _not_ going up there!" Lily hissed at Potter, her face turning red when she noticed the attention they were receiving from their peers.

But apparently he decided to ignore that little inconvenience and pulled her right along anyways. And it wasn't as if she could successfully get away, what with him being much stronger than her and all—besides, she _did _want to know what was going on. So, even if it _was_ the boy's dorms, she decided to just go with it when he didn't respond, making attempts to ignore the growing buzz of whispers from below her in the common room.

Fortunately they reached the landing then and nobody was there to point, laugh, and make quick assumptions. At the end of the hall, Potter pushed a door open and quickly went inside, shutting it behind them.

Two of their schoolmates, and Potter's best friends, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were lolling on their beds, reading. Black looked up from what appeared to be a Muggle swimsuit issue and cracked an eyebrow. "Oi! Take it somewhere else, you two."

Lily blushed at the assertion implied and was glad that nobody—especially Potter—made anything more of it.

The last leg to their group, Peter Pettigrew, decided at that moment to make his entrance and walked in. "Hey Evans," he greeted nicely, as though it were normal to see her there. But then he took a look at Potter and frowned. "What's wrong, Prongs?"

"We have a problem," he replied. "A _big_ problem."

Black sighed. "Look here, mate. If the best spot is taken, just go in the _other_ broom cupboard. It's just as good, let me tell you. And, the best part is that you don't even have to—."

"Sirius, just _shut it about broom cupboards and snogging already_!" Potter snapped, all of a sudden glaring at his friend.

She was surprised. He usually didn't get this upset over anything, except for in fifth year, when Severus had called her a—well, he called her a very…_unwholesome_ word—and Potter got pretty antsy about it. But other than that, he wasn't half bad at keeping his temper. The two were known for their rather public rows (which thankfully ceased, or at least lessened, since the start of term and their time as Head Boy and Girl together), but he never got like _this_.

Like her, the three boys then gave Potter their undivided attention.

"This _isn't_ about Evans and I," he began again, more quietly. "Well—not really. This is about the four of us and _last night_."

In an instant, the atmosphere Potter had been corralling seemed to spread to the others. All of a sudden they were paled and looked just as concerned as their mate.

It was Black who first rediscovered the ability of speech. "What are you talking about? Exactly?"

"Skeeter's onto us. She knows we're—."

"_Prongs!_" Lupin's eyes flashed with warning as he slammed his book shut.

He, Pettigrew, and Black each cast a meaningful look at Lily, who was still standing in Potter's shadow, over by the door, simply watching and listening to the exchange.

Potter cast his eyes downward, looking disappointed for almost revealing their big bad secret in front of her and almost letting his friends down. Obviously, they definitely did not want her in the know.

"Lily, would you wait for me outside? Please?"

Avoiding her eyes, he turned and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, steering her out of the door he opened. Lily opened her mouth to protest, but at the sight of Potter's face—he just looked so…_worried_—she thought better of it and allowed him to guide her out and shut the door between them.

In the dark hallway, her mind buzzed with the possibilities. She knew Potter and his friends got up to all sorts of mischief, but she didn't know they did anything serious enough to cause _this_ sort of commotion. And she was stuck right in the bloody middle of it.

All because of _stupid. James. Potter_.

It wasn't fair that she had to give up her free will to appease Rita Skeeter and James Potter, of all people. She wouldn't do it. They couldn't _make _her. Surely Skeeter was only exaggerating and her threatening "secret" involved nothing more than a broken rule or two. What was the worst that could happen, really? Potter and his friends being seen for the miscreants they were? Well, they had that coming. Perhaps they should have spent a little more time doing their work and a little less time pranking the entire campus.

And with that thought in mind, Lily went straight for the stairs, intent on going down to her friends and leaving Potter to deal with whatever mess he'd made _himself_.

* * *

James shut the door behind Lily, feeling three pairs of eyes burning holes in his back as he did so. Finally he turned and was first bombarded by Sirius, who jumped off his bed, pointing a finger at him threateningly.

"Okay, what are you on about, James?" he demanded.

He should have known they wouldn't take this well. Not that it was anything to take lightly. But it was more than a little worrisome to be under a gaze like that from Sirius Black; even if _was _his best mate.

Without further delay, James launched into a recount of what happened. "Evans and I were coming back from the meeting with the prefects, right? _Well_…"

When he finished telling them about Skeeter and her threats, the others just stared back, appearing to be at a loss for words. Finally, Peter, ever the optimist of the bunch, said, "But this doesn't _have _to mean that—."

"Oh, quiet, Peter," Sirius snapped. "We'd be fools to think anything else."

"He's right," Remus added. "We can't risk the possibility that maybe she _does_ know something."

"_Skeeter_, though?" Sirius said, looking at James in annoyed disbelief. "That no good _twat _knows about us? I just…I don't know how she could've _possibly _found out…"

"Me neither, mate," James admitted. "But it's done, and now we've got to figure out what to do about it before she goes running her mouth."

"Well, isn't it obvious?"

James exchanged a look with Remus and Peter; apparently neither of them knew what was _obvious _either.

"No?"

Sirius sighed dramatically. "You said that Skeeter gave you an…option. Of sorts."

He shrugged. "I _guess. _Although, I think she might've just been trying to annoy Lily with all that, to be honest. It _did_ ruffle her feathers bit…"

"Doesn't matter. If Skeeter's _serious _about this, then it's all we've got for now. Just—just go tell her whatever you want, whatever you need to, to get her to agree to this. We've got to do _something _until we think of a solution."

"But it's so _stupid_," James insisted. "What could Skeeter gain from this? I'm sure it was just to annoy her, Sirius. We have to think of a _real _solution. Something that'll fix this."

"He's got a point, Padfoot," Peter chimed in. "Doesn't look like it'll do any good for her, really."

"Why are you being so difficult about this?" Ignoring him, Sirius gave James a pointed _look_. "Yesterday you'd be hopping like you've got flobberworms in your knickers at the chance to date Evans."

"No reason," he replied abruptly. "I just don't think it will help is all."

"James." This time, it was Remus who spoke. He'd hardly talked at all during the whole session, but the defeat that choked over his voice managed to get him the complete attention of the three other boys. "James, I know it seems stupid. Merlin—half this _school _is stupid, never mind that airhead Skeeter. But no matter what she says, we have to play by her rules until we get ahead of her. Please. This is…too important. For me."

"For all of us," Peter echoed wistfully.

James looked from Remus to Peter, and then to Sirius. He wasn't sure about this. There were _so _many places where things could go wrong! And, if things _did _take a turn for the worst, it would be all his fault because he couldn't convince Lily, or he didn't do a good enough job to satisfy Skeeter, or, or, or…

But, as he looked at his friends' faces and remembered all the times—the good and the bad—that they've been through together, well, it was no question what he would do.

* * *

"Evans!"

Lily looked up from her Charms homework and saw Potter bounding down the stairs towards her. "Oh, _great_," she muttered, looking away hastily.

"What's with you two, anyways?" Alice questioned, apparently noting Lily's reaction. "You and Potter have been acting weird ever since that article came out this morning."

Mary brightened, a mischievous, knowing glint in her eyes as she turned to Lily. "It's because it's _true_, isn't it?"

"Would you drop that?" Lily snapped. "We _aren't_ together and I was with _you _guys that Friday at one of Slughorn's dinners. Remember?"

"Oh, right," Mary replied with a sheepish smile. However, her ever-ready retort kicked in and she began to say, "But you _still_—."

"Evans!" Potter repeated, reaching the three girls before Mary could finish her sentence, for which Lily was almost grateful. But not enough to be particularly happy to see him.

"What d'you want, Potter?" she asked in a voice that she hoped made it clear that he wasn't welcome at that moment. She still wasn't keen about Skeeter trying to pull her into a big mess because of _him_ and his stupid antics.

"I thought you were going to wait for me?"

"I was. But then I remembered that you don't run my life. And nor do your friends. Whatever problem you guys have with Skeeter, deal with it _without _me."

He seemed surprised at her. Mary and Alice did, too, exchanging confused-looking glances.

Arching his eyebrows, Potter asked, "Er—well, can I still talk to you? It's _really_ important."

"Go ahead and talk." Lily remained stubbornly seated, looking up at him with almost mocking anticipation.

"_Alone_?" he pressed, glancing at Alice and Mary similarly to how Lupin, Pettigrew, and Black had looked at her earlier.

Gritting her teeth, Lily stood up to follow him out of the common room. Luckily most of the Gryffindors had gone up to bed during the time Potter had been in his dormitory and Lily didn't feel as though she were being broadcasted along the way like she had earlier.

"What do you want?" she repeated once they reached the outside corridor, crossing her arms over her chest angrily.

"Hold on—." He continued down the hall, looking around until he grabbed the knob of a nearby door and pushed it open. Poking his head inside, he muttered, "I think this'll be okay." Lily sighed and reluctantly walked in after him.

"_Muffliato_," he whispered, pointing his wand at the door after he closed it behind her.

"What are you doing that for?"

"Relax, Evans. It's just so that nobody overhears us."

"Yeah. Just in case anybody _happens _to walk down the exact corridor we're on at this time of night," she retorted sarcastically.

"Well, I'd rather not risk that."

He turned away from the door and walked over to her where they stood awkwardly for a few moments. Lily had her hands on her hips, watching him expectantly. "Well?" she finally prompted. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Right. Erm, well you heard what Skeeter said before. And I know you probably don't understand what she meant, but it's a _big _deal. A really big deal—to us. My friends and I, that is."

"I get it, Potter. What about it?"

"Well, I know you probably don't want anything to do with me, but…I was hoping to see what you thought of her—er—condition."

"You're right. I don't want anything to do with you. Especially just so you can keep your stupid secret."

"Evans, it's—when I said big deal, that's not even the half of it. This is so important that I would do anything to keep anyone else from finding out. You've got to understand—it's _not _just about me. It's about the others. It's not about reputations—well, hardly—or getting into trouble. It's about our _lives_. It's really very important that Skeeter doesn't make this information public. _Very_."

She couldn't _believe _he was playing this card! _Oh Lily, it's a matter of life and death! Pleeeease help us! _Yeah bloody right!

It was pathetic, that's what it was. All the stupid things that Potter and his friends have been doing for years have finally caught up to them. She had told them over and over and _over _to stop acting like such prats, but they never listened! And now, when they're in just _so_ much "danger," they come whining to her to help them fix it. Well, she wasn't about to let them have their way.

"Listen, Potter. Whatever it is that Skeeter's got, you lot shouldn't have done it, anyways!" she retorted. "Just because you made a mistake, that's no reason to bring me into it and _use _me to wriggle yourselves out of trouble."

"I _told _you, it's not about the trouble!" he countered, obviously frustrated with her. He covered his reddening face with his hands, taking a few deep breaths. Lily watched as he calmed down, not wanting to say a word—not knowing _what _word she could say at a moment like this.

She wasn't sure if Potter was just that good of an actor, or if he and his friends were really in such a pitiful position. Lily had to admit, it was strange for him to come to her. He never came to her for _anything, _unless it was for a good slap in return for a cheesy pick-up line.

"Lily, _please_," he finally said. _"_I'll do anything you want. Just—just play along with Skeeter's rules until we think of another way to keep her at bay. Please?"

Lily scrutinized him for a moment. "Anything?"

His mouth dropped open a little bit. Apparently he hadn't thought she would be so agreeable. But, then again, she hadn't said anything about actually doing it. She still wasn't sure.

"Anything," he pledged with a vague rising of his arms, as though gesturing to give her the whole world.

She thought about it. Basically, she would have to pretend to date Potter until Skeeter raised the guillotine off their heads. And Merlin _knows _how long that could take. Besides, what if this was just another ploy of his to trick her into going out with him?

Once again she looked up at him and found, to her surprise, that he was watching her expression anxiously. Not in the whole "I-really-hope-she-says-yes-so-I-can-snog-the-life-outta-her" type of way, either, but rather more in the "I-really-hope-she-says-yes-because-otherwise-I-will-be-screwed-and-my-life-will-become-living-hell-if-she-doesn't" sort of deal.

She wasn't sure if it was just the trick of the light or some divine intervention out to get her, but Lily could have sworn she thought she saw something akin to compassion and vulnerability on Potter's face. He didn't look like he was lying about it all. It appeared as though he and his friends really were in jeopardy and he really did care about it enough to ask her to do something completely against the covenant she had formed with herself since the first time Potter had made his prickish, immature crush on her known and risk getting himself hexed, slapped, and/or hurt in any other fashion known to man, wizard, or Giant Squid (all of which he had already undergone on at least one occasion, much to her amusement).

So, with all of this in mind, Lily decided, for the first time, to look past what he's done, and give him the benefit of the doubt, and a chance. The guy looked like he needed it. That, and some chocolate. His look of apprehension as he awaited her reply gave her the impression that a Dementor was in the room, cowering just behind her.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll play along, Potter," she finally decided. "Just _promise_ me you'll _never_ bother me again after this is over."

Besides, if, even after all this, it _did_ turn out to be a complete hoax, she could always kick his arse for it later. And then send him into the depths of the lake to tango with the Giant Squid.


	4. Here We Go

**Chapter Four: Here We Go**

* * *

The next morning, Lily woke, showered, dressed, and clumsily walked right into a certain James Potter as she descended the last step from the Girls' Dormitories.

"Whoa, there. Hands to yourself this early, all right?" Lily scowled (as much as any person in that state of something like a limbo between waking and sleeping can scowl) at the annoyingly familiar voice and felt a pair of hands take hold of her shoulders to steady her as she stumbled a bit from the collision.

"What're you _doing_ 'ere?" she asked sluggishly, blinking his face into focus and stifling her yawn. She had stayed up a little later than usual the night before (perhaps a lot later, but it was just so enticing!)—reading—and her shower had done little to wake her up that morning like it normally did.

"Come to escort you to breakfast. You know, since we _are _dating." He winked, offering her his arm (which she merely stared down until he lowered it).

"Ugh. _Right_," she muttered, following his lead out of the tower as the events of the previous day came flooding back. She had fortunately forgotten the hectic going-ons for all of nine hours or so and groaned when she remembered what was going on. "How you ever managed to talk me into this, Potter, I'll never know."

"Don't act like it's such torture, Lily," he chided. "I haven't done a single bad, immature, or upsetting thing, have I?"

"The day's still young, Potter."

"And that's another thing. I've never heard a girl call her boyfriend by his surname. Please Lily, call me James."

Lily glanced up at him skeptically. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to call him that, to be honest. It was just too _weird. _She never had before—ever. A strange thing, really, considering they've been doing Heads duties together for nearly three months already.

"Or you can call me your juicy hunka' _love_," he added, raising his eyebrows in a joking sort of way.

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop the laughing grin that came to her face. Really, he just sounded so _absurd _saying it! "I think I'll stick with just James," she managed between her giggles.

"Excellent." Beaming, he went ahead of her as they approached the entrance to the Great Hall and pushed open one of the doors, gesturing for her to go inside. "After you, milady."

Lily went inside and was surprised a few moments later when she felt a warm, unfamiliar hand envelop her own. She jumped spastically at the touch and turned to see that the offending limb belonged to none other than the infamous Potter. "What was _that _for?" she hissed, barely restraining the urge to slap his hand away, and attempting to ease her hand away, feeling dreadfully uncomfortable with the contact (especially when so many people had their attention all on _her—_or, rather, _them_).

But Potter wouldn't have it. He kept a firm, yet gentle grip on it, leaned close to her, and whispered, "We have to make it look _real_, don't we?"

"I guess…" was her enthusiastic response, and she worried that those words held an omen for the day to come.

Breakfast passed without injury and/or lasting, detrimental damage, she was happy to find—thankfully, it held no more surprises for Lily other than the fact that Potter accompanied her to the spot where Alice and Mary had saved her a seat.

That was another problem, though: Alice and Mary. As far as they knew, she despised Potter. She still did, of course, but they couldn't know that.

After a quick, whispered conversation with Potter after she saw her friends and realized she would have to explain the reason for the _prat _holding her hand, she was left with the sinking restraint that she could not tell them the truth lest she betray the Marauders. And, despite their trouble-making ways, she really didn't want to cause them any grief. Perhaps a little, but nothing _permanent_. She wasn't that mean, after all.

So, when she sat down across the table from them, and they both looked up, glanced at Potter, then back at her, each giving her a pointed, meaningful look (Mary's eyebrows flew up; she wasn't bothered at all to hide her surprise—nor her smugness, from the looks of the smirk that appeared seconds after. Alice at least had the decency to quickly avert her gaze after a second or two.), Lily knew she had to think up a convincing story. And fast.

"So, you two are together now, Lily?" Mary asked after a few moments of silence, glancing at Potter in an amused, yet skeptical manner. That's what she _said_, at least. But what she really meant was, "Dude. What the hell?" with possibly a bit of, "Oh. _Juicy_" thrown in.

Lily almost rolled her eyes. Honestly. These teenagers and their bloody _gossip_.

She couldn't really blame Mary, though, when it came down to it. Even she had to admit that it must have been just about the biggest shock of the century to see her and Potter together, not rowing for once (or attempting to commit murder or, in Potter's case, molestation. Well. _Verbal _molestation) and holding _hands _for Merlin's sake. That just didn't happen. Ever.

Besides, if it _did _(which, it _wouldn't_)_, _Lily would have told them. And if one of _them _had somehow acquired a boyfriend (even a fake one) and decided to just whip him out for breakfast without telling her _anything_, she would have been pretty surprised and slightly peevish as well.

But still. That didn't make thinking up an _answer _any easier, now, did it? Merlin. She needed more time…

"Uhm. Uhh…"

"Sorry, girls," Potter suddenly spoke up. "That'd be my fault. See, we were caught by surprise with that article—had _no _idea somebody had a lead on us. I didn't want to cause a scene with it, but…well, Lils insisted it was time to—oh, how did you put it? Oh. Oh yes. Show our _true _feelings." Then he flashed her a gooey, smitten smile to which she blushed.

"Er. Yeah. What he said," she agreed reluctantly. But really she wanted nothing more than to cry out against the lies. Elbow in gut of big-mouthed moron, check.

(At least she didn't have to bother with thinking up some extravagant tale. And she didn't exactly _lie _to her friends. Not yet. That was all _him_.)

Mary raised an eyebrow but didn't press it any further. However, by the look of her pursed lips and carefully avoiding eyes, Lily knew she would hear more about this as soon as Potter was out of sight.

She never thought she'd see the day where she actually _wanted _to keep his company. But, then again, it wasn't exactly a _normal _day.

The rest of breakfast passed in a very, very awkward haze. Alice and Potter attempted small talk a few times, but neither Lily nor Mary contributed more than one or two words per response and so conversation didn't catch on well. Finally they gave up and Alice announced, after a quick glance at her watch, that their first class was going to start in twenty minutes and that they had better get a move on to pick up their bags from the dormitory.

Potter insisted on walking with them, as he had to get his as well and loosely held her hand _again _along the way. Nobody was particularly loquacious along this journey and so it passed in much the same manner that the remainder of breakfast had. (With the addition of Mary occasionally shooting furtive glances at them and raising an eyebrow, but fortunately she continued her silence.)

Lily thanked Merlin when Potter finally dropped her hand as they reached the Common Room. "See you in a minute," he promised, grinning, before making a dash to the Boys' Dormitories.

Surprisingly, Mary and Alice still didn't say anything to her as the three of them picked up their bags. It left Lily feeling a bit too unnerved. It was like the eye of a storm…

She soon realized why they hadn't, though, when she saw Potter waiting patiently at the foot of the stairs for them.

Bugger. She thought she'd gotten rid of him for at least an hour or so.

But such wasn't the case. He walked the three of them _all the way _to their History of Magic class, while he himself actually had Arithmancy that morning all the way on the other side of the castle. (He'd never make it on time.) Bollocks for brains, that one's got. She was sure of it.

But when she told him all this, he only retorted that Professor Vector loved him and wouldn't mind. Of course she did. Poor bird.

Aware that Mary was watching them intently, she gave him a rather awkward and feeble, one-armed sort of hug before waving bye as he left. Then she turned around and met her friends' blank stares with a stomach that felt like it had been jellified.

Awk-_waaaard_.

That feeling was coming up a lot, she noticed.

"Spill," Mary demanded. "Now."

Lily blushed. She was very opposed to discussing anything having to do with any kind of relationship she might or might not (and that was _definitely _a might not—err, _not_, no 'might' necessary there…) be having with James Potter in the middle of the corridor, right in front of a door that students were walking into every few moments, where most anybody could overhear their conversation and possibly mutate it, spread it around, and/or effectively utilize it in plots to ruin her life. Uhm. Yeah. No _thanks_.

"Not here," she hissed, shooing the two closer to the door. "Just—just wait until class starts, all right? Go to those three seats in the back. Yeah, in the corner there."

The two grumbled their impatience, but did as Lily asked. As soon as they were seated, a balled up piece of parchment hit her square on the forehead. She turned towards the direction from where the volatile assault had come from and saw Mary grinning at her cheekily, fingering a quill.

Hmph. How _rude_.

Scowling, she picked it up, unfolded it and submitted to a long session of interrogation and hounding. Luckily, Binns never noticed any foul play (once Johnny Fletcher almost fell out the window because Mark Bishop levitated him out of his chair and over to it and he still didn't realize until Abigail Edgecombe stuck her snitchy little hand in the air and informed him that, "Professor _Binns, _Fletcher's acting up again. Perhaps this calls for a bit of disciplinary action? I suggest points from Gryffindor." Yeah. She actually said that. Psh. _Bishop's _the one to blame, anyways! If he weren't in her house, she would have totally called him out on it. Stupid competitive brat) and didn't bother to tell them to pay attention to his lecture, so they were free to do as they pleased.

Mary's note read: _Okay, what gives? You and Potter have a giant row (don't play dumb, I know you did) last night and this morning you show up acting like a COUPLE? I need details, woman._

Before she could even finish her response to _that_, Lily was ambushed from her left with another note from Alice.

You guys are so adorable! Why didn't you TELL us you were dating James? I want to know everything. How did it HAPPEN? Oh, Lil, I'm so happy for you. You've finally opened your eyes to give the guy a chance. I'm so proud of you!

Ugh.

* * *

Fortunately, Lily made it out of History of Magic alive. She spent the _entire _class period trying to come up with a story good enough to appease Alice about how it "happened" and attempting to convince them both that she didn't tell them because she was "embarrassed" at first and wasn't sure what to say. They both seemed to accept that excuse by the time their next class came, but then they demanded to know the ew-y gooey details of it all.

Mary had even gone so far as to ask whether Lily thought he was a good kisser or not, to which she responded with a stern glare and a good, firm thump at the shoulder with her rather large and heavy Ancient Runes textbook to show that _that _topic of conversation was strictly forbidden. (Mary just laughed, but Lily felt sure she had made the message nevertheless clear.)

As if she would kiss him. Yeah _right_.

Suffice to say, she was enormously grateful for when lunch came around. But that also meant more Potter. However, she knew that, if anything, Mary would start questioning _him _instead of her, which got both of them off her back and left her free to fix the aching emptiness in her stomach. So it was a pretty delightful win-win situation she had at her fingertips. She decided to savor it while it was there.

_Un_fortunately, luck didn't seem in her favor, nor was her "win-win situation" turning out nearly as delightful as she'd thought it would, she came to find about fifteen minutes into lunch.

It had been going swell enough, certainly. Mary _did _start asking Potter questions, such as the standard ones that they were always curious about in regards to any new boyfriends one of them might (or might _not_) have. And then she just had to take it too far.

"So, Potter. See any shagging in your future?"

_Yeah_. She did. All casual and whatnot, too.

And, if there wasn't enough misfortune to go around, Lily had just so happened to put a rather large (it was just too much _effort _to cut it into pieces) bite of her treacle tart in her mouth beforehand and immediately began choking on it as soon as the word "_shagging_" left Mary's mouth.

She could have sworn she saw the light for a moment. But then that bugger Potter thought on his feet and used an _Anapneo _charm to clear my throat of the offending desert.

"Okay?" he asked worriedly as her coughing slowed a bit, rubbing her back and offering a glass of water. "Here. Drink this. It'll help."

Forgetting that they were mortal enemies 'till death do them part, she accepted his help almost graciously, snatching the glass of water and chugging it's contents down, while leaning on his shoulder for support as she merely tried to _breathe_. For something of an expert in the skill, she was finding it fairly difficult right then.

Finally, after all was well again and the world was turned right side up, she wiped her watering eyes and glared across the table, wishing that, for once, she might mutate into a Basilisk and be gifted with 'looks that could kill.'

Mary, however, looked quite happy with the previous minute's events and very much alive.

Bugger.

* * *

Despite Tuesday's very disastrous accumulation of happenings, the week progressed into even more awful and awkward situations that fed off her pain, sorrow, and intense embarrassment.

Wednesday found her slipping in a puddle outside of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom (that bloody _ghost!_) and consequently drenching herself and, as he _insisted _on holding her hand and walking with her to every other class just like he'd done the previous day, pulling Potter on top of her (_ouch!_ How much does he _eat_?) and giving everybody else in the corridor a good laugh and what was apparently more than good enough reason to make hooting and wolf-whistling noises and yell "Get some, Potter!" extremely loudly (probably a first year, immature git).

Ah. And then Thursday arrived, bringing with it a new slew of torment like the first pure snowfall of the winter.

It was almost a right tease, it was. It started out as _such _a good day in comparison to the former two. She got an O on her Charms essay, Mary was off flirting with Reginald Cattermole, her latest fancy, and _wasn't _there to bother her, _and _Potter woke up late and missed breakfast! Her being the fourth person (as opposed to the _last_) in Transfiguration to master the new spell they'd been working on was just icing on the cake. Life was good.

But then came that dreadful, dreadful hour.

She was sitting at her favorite spot in the Gryffindor Common Room, as innocently as could be. It was eight o'clock in the evening, a bit of a prime time, as most everyone was milling about the room. As noted before, she was the utter _paragon _of innocence, just studying her Herbology notes for the quiz Professor Beery had promised for them that Friday.

In the midst of her saintly studying, she heard a small tap and looked up. But this didn't give her any ideas about the source, because nobody was around her (possibly because Christie Hicks had approached her not thirty minutes before, requesting to know the same as everybody else, "So what's changed your mind, Evans? Finally notice that smokin' bod?" and she politely requested that Miss Hicks leave her alone to study. Miss Hicks did _not _heed her warning, however, and laughed as though Lily was her mate just kidding around and actually inviting her to have a nice, giggly chat. Lily did not take too kindly to the bother and _insisted _she have her peace, utilizing—er—the full potential of her windpipes. Per say).

Hm. She never claimed to be patient or well tempered.

But back to the noise. Yes, she heard a tapping sound, and it came again after she looked up. Swiveling her head, she finally caught sight of the source: It was an owl, bobbing up and down outside the large window. Lily stretched forward at once to open it for the poor thing and in blew the bundle of feathers with a strong, cold gust of wind. After shutting the window again, she turned her attention to the owl and saw that it bore a letter.

In a red envelope.

Oh dear.

But—but, she _never _got in trouble. Ever! She had never been in detention or even gotten House points deducted (well, except that one time. But she strongly stood by her claim that Alice had knocked into her and _made _her push over that bookshelf. Madam Pince, however, did not take her same views). So why on _earth _was she getting a Howler?

Because, indeed, it was hers. _Lily Evans _was written clear across the envelope in neat cursive, handwriting she recognized as her mother's.

But her mum was a Muggle! She wasn't _supposed _to know about Howlers! Oh, _hell_.

So Lily did the first thing her mind thought of. With a flurry of soaring parchment, she leaped up from the window-seat she had been perched upon and all but flew up the stairs to her dormitory. The letter was just opening itself as she reached the halfway mark and she succeeded in slamming her door behind her just as the beast's mouth was opening to recite the message:

"LILY! LILY, DEAR! I HEAR FROM MRS. CINDY MACDONALD THAT THIS IS LIKE AN ANSWERING MACHINE FOR THE TELEPHONE! SINCE TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T WORK OVER THERE AND I COULDN'T CALL, I DECIDED THIS WAS THE NEXT BEST THING! I JUST WANTED YOU TO HEAR MY VOICE SO YOU WOULD KNOW HOW _EXCITED _I AM FOR YOU! CINDY TELLS ME THAT SHE HEARS FROM MARY THAT YOU HAVE A NEW BOYFRIEND! WHY HAVEN'T YOU WRITTEN TO ME? BEEN WAITING FOR THAT ELUSIVE FIRST KISS TO TELL ME EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME? WELL, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, I'M ALL EARS! OR, I SUPPOSE, THAT WOULD BE ALL EYES, RIGHT? I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT THIS JAMES FELLOW. FROM WHAT CINDY MENTIONED FROM MARY'S LETTER, HE SOUNDS LIKE SUCH A DELIGHTFUL YOUNG MAN! DO INVITE HIM OVER SOME TIME, WILL YOU? I'M DYING TO MEET HIM ALREADY! I BETTER GO NOW, THOUGH, DEAR. PETUNIA'S GETTING A BIT ANTSY! YOU KNOW HOW SHE IS! I KNOW YOU MUST BE JUST BRIMMING TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT, SO WRITE TO ME SOON! I LOVE YOU!"

…

Oh, Mother…

Lily slumped over on her bed, dropped her face right in her pillow, and proceeded to beat her head against it over and over.

She. Was. Going. To. _Kill. _That. Child!

Mary, that is.

Seething, Lily stuffed the remnants of her Howler in the rubbish basket by the bathroom and stomped over to the door. Her fists clenched, she went right down the stairs without a pause, but stopped pretty abruptly when she saw just about every eye on her. Every. Single. Bloody. _Pair_.

And she wasn't even exaggerating.

Lily instantly froze and would have tripped down the rest of the steps had she not grabbed onto the rail.

Oh no. Oh _no._

Aware that just about every Gryffindor was watching her, she slipped down the last bit of steps (she really had nothing left to lose, so why not?) and went over to Marlene McKinnon, a sixth year who she got on rather well with.

"Uh. You didn't just hear that, did you?" Lily inquired, whispering. But the silence of the room was so profound; most everybody was sure to have heard her.

Marlene blushed and grimaced apologetically, not even bothering to say a word.

Wonderful.

Just bloody _fantastic_.

She was going to _kill _Mary!

She edged over towards the Portrait Hole. "Er—sorry for that interruption, everyone. Now if you'll _excuse _me, I'm off to go commit a bit of murder on a certain mate of mine. Do return to your various activities… Ta-ta everyone!"

At least she could escape with a _bit _of her dignity left (or so she told herself as she blushed furiously). So she made her getaway and, stomping down the corridors in her search for Mary, swore up a storm as she conjured every vile thought in her mind with which to maim, destroy, mutilate, traumatize, and/or kill Miss Mary MacDonald. Preferably all of the above.

* * *

Friday was better. Slightly.

Potter had, unfortunately, heard from someone about the Howler and was teasing her about it during breakfast, but stopped when she gave him a swift kick in the shin. Either he prized his well-being or was just so sweet and sensitive and noticed her discomfort straight away, and then decided not to torture her any longer.

Yeah. She figured the latter was a bit of a look into an alternative universe as well.

Classes were bearable though, despite the occasional jibe at Thursday night's explosion of fun (Yeah, what fun. Har har har). Even dinner wasn't so horrible. Perhaps the Fates were giving her a break after all!

Heh. Fat Chance.

That evening, after she knocked off a few homework questions for Slughorn, she settled into an armchair beside the fire in the Common Room and decided to wait out the next ten minutes until Potter would come down from his dormitory so they could go patrol the castle, as per their duties as Head students.

But Potter apparently didn't like that plan because twenty minutes went by and he still hadn't come down.

Lily frowned at her watch, wondering whether or not it was broken. But, squinting up at the face of the grandfather clock hovering over the fireplace, she saw that it was indeed true. He was late. As much of a git he was, he was very rarely _late _for patrol duties or just any opportunity to mess with her in general.

Black was sure to know where he was, though. He was a little ways away playing a huge game of Exploding Snap with a rousing crowd.

Eh.

Looking further down the Common Room, she spotted a much more welcome sight. Lupin was settled on a couch, reading. She knew him from being prefects together for the past few years and they'd actually studied together on occasion, so she didn't feel the least bit weird about approaching him.

"Hey," she greeted, walking up.

He looked up from his novel and gave her a smile. "Oh. Hi, Lily."

"I was just wondering—do you have any idea where Potter is? He was supposed to meet me for patrolling nearly fifteen minutes ago."

Scratching his head, he took a moment to think. "Last I knew, he was upstairs sleeping."

And he was still there, no doubt.

"Oh."

"Would you like me to get him for you?" he offered courteously.

"No, that's okay," she replied. "You keep reading. I'll go get him."

Lupin nodded and she waved her thanks before strolling over to the stairs to the Boys' Dormitories. Normally she would be opposed to taking a trip that ended with this sort of destination, but she had a feeling she would take great pleasure in waking him up in the most irritating way possible.

Lily entered the landing and cautiously pushed the targeted door open, taking a peek inside. The room was dark and the hangings were pulled around one of the beds—indications that Potter was indeed asleep, as Lupin had divulged. She always did like that one. Had his uses, he did.

Crossing the room in a huff, she ripped the hangings open to find the evidence red-handed. Or, rather, snoring. The toerag was just lying there snoozing away while she would have waited bloody forever for him to show up!

She pulled out her wand and pointed it at him, considering her arsenal of spells before choosing the one she felt might produce the most amusing results. "_Aguamenti_!"

The jet of water that sprayed from her wand tip hit Potter squarely in his pensive, sleeping (not for long…) face.

And barely a moment later, he woke up, sputtering and cursing as he sat straight up so fast that she almost fell off from her spot at the edge of his bed.

"What are you _doing _here?" he asked incredulously, wiping the water away from his eyes and yanking his glasses on.

"I might ask you the same," she retorted dryly. "You were supposed to meet me in the common room—oh, maybe _almost a half bloody hour ago_."

Potter swore loudly and frantically threw the blankets off of him. "_Where_ is Sirius? That moron was supposed to wake me up!"

"It's not his responsibility," she replied. "Still, you should have asked Lupin if anybody. At least he can't be easily distracted by a game of Exploding Snap. He probably would've remembered."

Potter, still half-asleep, by the looks of him, staggered into the bathroom after he climbed out of bed and Lily heard the water start to run. "Oh 'ell, wuss done es done," he replied just loud enough for her to hear through what sounded like a mouthful of toothpaste.

After brushing his teeth, he returned to his part of the dormitory where Lily had taken it upon herself to spread out lazily on his bed as she waited. "Hurry up," she snapped, "I don't want any more rumors to spring up that I came up here to hand you over my virginity on a silver platter or something."

James smirked as he walked over to the trunk at the foot of his bed. "I knew you had an underlying scheme."

She rolled her eyes. "You wish."

This time he only smirked and didn't say anything as he pulled out a new shirt from his trunk. And then proceeded to pull the one he was wearing right off.

"_Merlin_, Potter!" Lily shrieked, rushing to cover her eyes with both hands as soon as they saw a hint of bare skin, falling off the bed in her surprise. "_Warn_ a girl, won't you?"

His chuckles chastised her for a moment and then she peeked through her fingers, thinking it was safe. Nope. That bloody idiot was just standing there, still grinning and still shirtless, probably thinking it was a remarkable sight.

Well.

Hm.

Er…

Well, all right. If she was being _honest_, she couldn't exactly argue with that one. Despite her censoring fingers, she could see the clear definition of one, two, three, four, five, _six_ impressive-looking abs. Not to mention a smattering trail of hairs that led down that six-pack, traveling right to—.

Wait one kneazle-loving second. This was _James Potter. James Potter_, the dupe that had been stalking and annoying the hell out of her for years! _James Potter_, the git who'd talked her into "dating" him as part of Skeeter's sick mind game.

She was sitting there, mindlessly ogling _James bloody Potter's_ freakishly delightful torso!

The week had officially reached a new low. She was afraid to see it get any worse.

And that same James Potter—who is a _git_, she had to remind herself, though rather feebly—apparently took notice.

He winked. "Like the view, Evans?"

Well, hell _yes_, she liked the view! There was no use denying _that _no matter how much he annoyed her_. _She may not be particularly fond of his breed of idiot, but Lily was indeed a humanoid female. One with eyes at that—and hormones, too.

Still yet, the fact that James Potter happened to be the owner of this most scrumptious sight was enough to completely kill it for her. It just figured.

"_Just put a blooming shirt on, Potter_!" she retorted, gritting her teeth and resolutely looking away.

"I thought you came up here for a bit of shagging, though?"

"I most certainly did not!" she cried, blushing profusely. "I was _kidding_! Oh, bloody _hell _with this. I'll wait for you down—" she began, making for the door. But, unfortunately for her, she was too busy being furious with Potter to think about opening her eyes, and thusly ran into the doorframe instead. Hard.

Relieving a heavy stream of curses, Lily stopped as a stream of blood began pouring from her nose, which had obviously broken.

Of course. Of. Bloody._ Course. _

"_Pudder!_" she shrieked, holding her nose and attempting to divert the intentions of the blood flow away from her mouth, "'Dis is all your _fault_!"

He was chuckling again. _Curse him_, Lily thought bitterly as she turned around to try to feel her way across the room to find a place to sit and fix her nose (or find a particularly sharp object to stick him with). _Curse him to bits. _

It was right after she turned around that his laughter ceased and she heard footsteps as he came over to her. Taking her face in his hands, he said, "_Lily_, oh _Merlin_. I'm so sorry—I really didn't mean—Oh bloody hell, it looks broken. Is it broken?"

"Whaddo you _dink_?" she asked, holding her nose in one hand as she groped her pockets for her wand with the other.

"Wait, here, let me do it," he insisted, pushing her wand back into her pocket. A moment later, she winced when he tenderly tapped her nose with his own wand and heard him say, "_Episkey_."

With a sickening—and painful—_crunch_, the bones moved back into place. "_Holy mother of Merlin!_" she yelled, touching her nose gingerly. That was without a doubt one of the most excruciating things she had ever experienced in her life—right after Petunia's singing. Luckily for her, though, the pain in her nose quickly turned into only a light throbbing that seemed to be dissipating pretty effectively. To her surprise, Potter seemed to have done an all right job. Hm. Interesting.

"Thanks," she snapped, still angry with him. She opened her eyes and was grateful to find that he was at least fully dressed at this point. Although, the alternative might have taken her mind off the slight soreness in her nose. Curse him for hiding that much-needed distraction away!

"Sorry," he told her again, still sounding worried. "Are you sure you're okay? I've only ever used that spell when someone on the team gets hurt and I dunno how well it—"

"Oh, just stuff it so we can go, Potter. We're already late as it is."

"Well, here—at least use our bathroom to wash up first. I don't think you want to go around covered in blood like that. Merlin only _knows _what kind of rumors would spring up then."

* * *

Steadfastly ignoring (or attempting to ignore) the images that kept popping up in her head, Lily chanted monotonously in her head: _His chest is _not _the sexiest thing you've ever seen. His chest is _not _the sexiest thing you've ever seen. You do _not _want to look at it for hours. You do _not _want to run your hands all over those muscles. You do _not _want to, you do _not _want to… _

An hour of their patrol had already gone by, but now they still had another to go as they started for another loop of the castle. Lily couldn't forget what she'd seen up there in his dormitory. _Especially _every time he spoke and obligated her to pay him a glance of acknowledgement.

Bugger. Bugger, bugger, _bugger_.

It was rather unnerving how much a simple realization about the rather well structured anatomy of one that she supposedly hated—wait, no, not supposed. She _did _despise him. With all her heart—could change her sense into mush and her hormones into raging tyrannosaurus-rexes. Really it was.

"So," he finally said. "Interesting week, eh?"

"Yeah. Interesting."

He snorted. "Okay, I suppose that's not _exactly _the right word to use…"

"You think?"

"Well, I'm sure it can't get any worse. I mean, that Howler…" He was on the verge of tearing from his laughter when she turned her glare on him.

"—Was—er—_completely _uncalled for. Mary ought to be_ stoned_."

"Good boy."

She could have sworn she heard a chuckle escape his lips. Good thing he passed it by as a very poorly disguised "cough."

"Have you guys figured anything out for Skeeter yet?"

"Not yet," he replied, regaining composure. "We've had ideas, though. Sort of. _Sirius _has had some ideas."

"Uh-oh."

"Well, they _are _amusing, I'll give him that."

"What exactly…?"

"Er. He wants to put a Niffler in her room. Or the _Herald's _office. McGonagall's study as well, but that's not relevant."

Lily stared at him for a moment, unblinking, before she doubled over in laughter.

"Oh—oh, p—_please_ do!" she cried in-between giggles. "That will make my _year_!"

"I thought you liked McGonagall?"

"I do. I meant S—Skeeter! That would be _priceless_. Or, actually, plant one in Mary's trunk. I'll help!"

"Why do you suddenly have such violent tendencies towards Mary lately?"

"Since my _mother _became aware of my new "beau" through her meddling," she explained hotly, using air quotes. "I mean, really, who _does _that?"

"Er."

"And she doesn't even _warn _me. Doesn't say one thing. Just bloody sits there with her stupid toast, smirking at me over my breakfast. And I call her a _mate_…"

There was a pause after her spiel, and then Potter let loose an "accidental" chuckle, clearly fighting the urge not to full out laugh his arse off. "You done?"

"It's not _funny_!" she snapped. "But, yes, I am done. No—really, I mean it, Potter. _Stop laughing_!"

But her reprimanding only caused him to laugh harder, convulsing with those guffaws of his. "Sorry! It's just…you're—you're so _ridiculous _sometimes!"

"Wh—? I am not!" she protested.

"Yes. You are. I mean, Merlin_, _Lily, it's only a bit of teasing!"

"A bit of teasing? It's horrible, that's what it is! You didn't _see _everybody after that Howler! I wanted to die!"

"Well please don't. Look, I _know _you think it's awful, but, really, people only make it a bigger deal because _you _do. If you don't freak out about it, nobody will care to notice much."

"Hm."

"I'm serious."

"I hate you."

"Then use that brilliant brain of yours to conjure us up the answer to all our problems," he teased, smirking. "Then you can be rid of me. Skeeter actually cornered me today saying that things are dying down a smidge too much for her liking."

"Did she happen to _sleep _through this entire week, by chance?"

He shrugged. "Said she'll have our heads if we don't do something about it soon. Shame. I rather like my head in my own possession. Especially when the alternative is _Skeeter's_. What say you?"

She absolutely agreed and told him so.

"That's what I thought," he replied. "Well. Any ideas to—er—awaken the student body to the wonders of rubbish gossip?"

"You could cheat on me," she suggested a moment or two later. "I can catch you snogging Sally Jenkins or somebody and make a big scene about it. I hear she's got a bit of a fancy for you, anyways."

He pulled a face. "Uh, not likely. How about I catch _you_ with Sirius?"

Lily grimaced.

"Or, I could take a draft of Polyjuice potion with one of his hairs in it and you can snog _me_ instead," he amended with a satisfied smirk.

"_Or_," Lily began in mock excitement, "You can take the potion with one of _my _hairs and kiss Black yourself!"

"Not even in _your _body," Potter replied, feigning disgust with a grin.

"Actually, don't even take the potion at all. If you were to come out of the closet, people would talk about that one for _ages_."

"Sorry, Lil, but I'm not sacrificing my sexuality for your lips."

Lily sighed. "Fine, but _I'm_ not cheating. People will think I'm such a slag. I'd rather _not _have that on my track record, to be honest."

"We could say Sirius did it. Got you all vulnerable on fire whiskey while I was at Quidditch practice or something…"

"Potter! I don't _drink_."

"I didn't _say _you did. I only meant that—"

"Fine," she interrupted. "We both agree that neither of us is going to cheat? How about we just…just see what happens first before we do anything drastic. Then we'll cross that road when we come to it. I dunno, I'll punch you in the face or something."

"What?"

"I said _or something_."

"I have a feeling that _something _might cause even more pain on my behalf…"

* * *

**A/N:** I dunno what happened. I didn't plan this. One moment it's around midnight and I have about three or four-thousand words, intent on adding a _bit _to just kinda tie up some ends, and then the next, it's nearly four in the morning, and this beast has unleashed itself upon my computer. Pretty strange, eh? But I think I'm surprisingly happy with the way it turned out. Hope you all enjoyed! :D


	5. Quills and Soul Mates

**Chapter Five: Quills and Soul Mates**

* * *

"I'm _telling _you," Sirius argued, "It's a brilliant idea! The twat won't see it coming."

Remus rolled his eyes. "She'll _know _it was us. Who _else _in this school is daft enough to plant a Niffler in Rita Skeeter's bedroom, hm?"

"Well, there was that Xenophilius guy that was here when we were in first year. Remember him? Creepy bloke; I bet he'd do it."

"Oh, for the love of Merlin…" Remus sighed, exasperated.

"You know, Pads," Peter spoke up, "Moony's right. She'll know it was us _and _she'll go on and tell everybody about—er—you know."

"He has a reasonable point."

"He has no _point_. Oi, Prongs, gonna help a buddy out over here?"

James turned to face them. "Huh? Oh, sorry. Didn't hear you."

It was the morning after his Friday night patrol with Lily and he kept finding himself daydreaming about the redhead for minutes at a time. It was just weird, them being on speaking terms…very different from the bouts of shouting and monotonous dislike that he had become accustomed to over the years. He liked it.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You have to get that bird out of your head, mate. She's completely mental. Did you _see _what she did to Macdonald this morning?"

James smirked. He actually had been around to witness a very distressed Mary Macdonald running down from the Girls' Dormitories as he had been making his way over to wait for Lily so they could go to breakfast. He was almost sure he caught sight of what must have been green slime coating her hair before she had dashed past him and out the portrait hole. Not five moments later, Lily had come down looking very pleased with herself and nonchalantly mentioning how it was turning out to be such a good morning, didn't he think so?

"Not that I don't love a good prank and all, but really. The girl looked like she'd had a _heart attack_."

James shrugged. "I'm sure she could do worse. Macdonald had it coming anyways. You know she outright asked me about shagging? _I _almost had a bloody heart attack. Didn't help one bit when Lils started choking…"

"Women." Sirius exhausted a loud sigh. "Can't live with 'em and _definitely_ can't live without 'em…"

"Can we please discuss your issues with women _later_?" Remus asked. "This is serious. I don't want to allow this to drag out long. Who _knows _what Skeeter has up her sleeve…"

"What we need," Peter added, "is a way to show her we mean business—"

"—And what says business like a messy room and a Niffler running amok?" Sirius interrupted. "Really. It's foolproof," he insisted, leaning his chair back on two legs and putting his arms behind his head lazily.

"Oh, stuff it, Sirius," Remus snapped. "I actually think this is a situation in which we need to fight fire with fire—not that I mean that _literally _of course. Merlin knows we don't need you anywhere near an open flame—"

"—Remember that one time in Potions?" Sirius asked gleefully. "Now _that _was a fire!"

"Diggory nearly wet his _pants _when his hair caught!" Peter added with a snicker.

"And Evans was yelling herself hoarse!" Sirius said, turning to James.

"Yeah! Somehow she managed to blame _me _for it when I'd only been getting ingredients from the cupboard!" he replied. He vividly remembered how hot-under-the-collar Lily had been about the whole ordeal, screaming about how they were such _prats _and so _immature_. It was truly amusing; the best Potions class they'd ever had, by far.

"Well, let's not allow for a repeat," Remus broke in suddenly, stern as ever.

James noticed he'd been more prudent and uptight ever since the whole Skeeter thing started and less of the more lax Remus that would have joined in with the laughter and reminiscing. The realization reminded James of the gravity of it all. It wasn't just a new development of playing Lily's boyfriend—not for all of them.

"He's right," James muttered, toning down his laughter. "We should really start thinking seriously about this."

"_Thank _you," Remus said hotly. "At least _some _people care."

"Oh, you know I care, Moony," Sirius said. "I just don't _have _any other ideas."

"I do."

Sirius looked at James and rolled his eyes with a joking grin.

"What's that?" Peter asked.

"Well, what do people like Skeeter care about most?"

"Oh, Merlin, mate, don't ask _us_. She's a _girl_!" Sirius complained. "How in the name of Merlin's saggy trousers are we supposed to know?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you—" He leaned forward, looking conspiratorial, and said in hushed tones, "Her _reputation_."

* * *

"LILY! _LILLL-LY_!"

Lily stopped and quickly turned to spot a very anxious-looking Alice running down the corridor, clumsily dodging the few students roaming around the halls that Saturday morning and apologizing breathlessly as she knocked Hufflepuff Judy Carter's books out of her hands.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly when Alice came to a skidding halt in front of her.

Alice shook her head, panting a bit, her cheeks red. "Nothing…_heh_…wrong…just…_heh_…needed…to…" She gulped, taking a big breath. "I need to…ask you for a favor. Where've you been all morning, anyways? You got in late last night, so I couldn't tell you, and then this morning you were _gone _by the time I woke up, and—and—" Her voice rose higher and higher, almost in hysterics, as she spoke all in one breath, still gasping for air.

"Take a breath, Alice!" Lily urged, wondering what exactly was going on. Her friend very rarely acted like this. She was usually so calm… "I was in the Library," Lily continued. "Why, what's happened?"

Alice suddenly beamed at her, her cheeks still flushed. "Frank asked me to go on the Hogsmeade trip with him next weekend!"

Lily's eyes widened and then she broke in a grin. "That's great, Alice!" She knew how much her friend's been waiting for this—she had had a crush on Frank since the middle of their fifth year, but had always been too shy to do anything about it.

"I know! I just can't believe he actually _asked_. I mean, he's been coming over to talk to me in classes and all that more lately, but _still_! He just came right up in the Common Room last night—you were on patrol, or else I'd have told you—and asked me!"

Lily laughed good-naturedly. "Well, I'm sure you guys will hit it off."

"I hope so," she agreed as they set off down the corridor.

"So what's the favor you wanted to ask me about?" Lily asked after a moment, remembering the beginning of the conversation.

"Oh, right! I was hoping…" She blushed again. "Well, I was just _hoping_ that maybe you would consider…er…going with me? You know, bring James along so we can double?"

Lily's stomach flew into her throat and she stopped, her mouth open a bit. "Er—why would you want us to join you?"

Alice sighed. "Well…I'm just sort of…nervous. I think I'll feel a lot better if I have you with me to kinda help me out if I get stuck or something. Besides, it'll be fun. Right?"

"Uhm…yeah… Fun."

"So you'll do it?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her round face.

Lily hesitated, but she knew she couldn't turn Alice down. They'd been friends ever since their first year and she _did _know how nervous Alice got around Frank…

"All right," she consented. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

* * *

Lily thought it might be a good idea to let Potter know about the plans she'd made involving him as soon as possible, but didn't get up the nerve until a few hours after dinner that night. When he came up to the sofa she was doing homework at and sat next to her, she decided then was as good a time as ever.

"Hogsmeade's next weekend."

"I know," he replied, settling into the cushions. "Didn't we have a prefect meeting deciding that last Sunday?"

"Yes, of course, but I just sort-of figured that…maybe…"

"Wait a second." He smirked, eyeing her nervous, twitchy mouth. "Are you, Lily Evans, asking me, James Potter, on a _date_?"

"Oh, shut up," she snapped, looking around her to make sure nobody was listening. "It's for _Alice_, you prat. Frank asked her to go and she told me she'd feel better if I went with her. But it'd be stupid for me to just tag along, so she asked if I'd bring you as well."

"And you told her you would," he said triumphantly.

"Yes," she replied icily. "I did. Because she's my best mate. It has nothing to do with you, so get that out of your head, Merlin _knows _it's puffed up full of enough hot air already…"

"Make jokes all you want, Lilykins, but you can't hide it for long. Soon enough you'll figure out that we're meant to be soul mates for life and you'll be _begging_ for me."

"To what? Keep yourself at a minimum one hundred-foot distance from me for the rest of your pathetic existence?" She looked down at the very small space between them with distaste. "Because, yes, I feel I'll be having to do just that _quite _soon."

He smirked again, but moved away from her a tad. She mumbled her thanks and they were silent for a minute.

"For the record, _I'm _looking forward to it."

"Glad to hear that," she muttered dryly, finishing up her essay for McGonagall on Gamp's Law and putting her quill down to retrieve her wand to seal the scroll. "Now, if you'll excuse me—"She stood up, picking up her things. "—I think I'm going to go up to my dormitory for the night."

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss?" he asked rather loudly, causing a few third year girls a short way from them to collapse over each other in giggles, and grinned boyishly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, _sure_, James." She leaned down, making like she was going to give him a small kiss, but lightly smacked his cheek instead.

He winced and opened his eyes, puffing his cheeks into a pout. "That wasn't nearly as wonderful as how I've always imagined."

"Guess you'll never know, then," she replied with a victorious smile before standing straight again and walking off towards the stairs as the gaggle of girls giggled even harder at her display.

Before she reached the top landing, he called after her, "Goodnight!"

"Good_night_, James!" she called back, more than a little amused.

* * *

The following week passed by fairly quickly. Much of it was spent with the 7th years buried deeply under a mountain of homework as the holidays approached and, with them, mid-term practice exams for their N.E.W.T. courses.

And on Monday, Potter had decided to spontaneously begin a shouting match with Lily in front of the whole of the Great Hall for no reason. She was surprised, really. Even when they hadn't been friends (not that they were now, but…), she had never known him to start a fight with her for no apparent reason. Sure, the reasons were usually _very _stupid, but there was still a cause for it. Afterwards, he went to the Library with her to study and do homework during their break and he explained in an undertone that his mates were getting worried about Skeeter and that was why he staged a row with her. He told her that they had a plan—somewhat—but hadn't found a way to get it to work yet. Puzzled, Lily accepted the apology and things continued as normal.

Then Tuesday, the _Herald _poured out a complete fallacy about their relationship being on the rocks (shoving their argument on a pedestal as it is, as Skeeter penned, _clearly _an indication that maybe the "meant-to-be" romance between her and James just wasn't meant to be after all) and she had to endure another load of whispers and snide remarks following her that day, not to mention the occasional confrontation. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were all just about the same, but things seemed to have died down a bit more when everybody saw that they weren't—as the _Herald_ rumored—broken up or on the verge. Not that she didn't consider allowing everybody to believe they had, but…she had made a promise. Unfortunately. And Lily Evans kept a promise, even if it was to a bunch of slick gits.

When Saturday dawned on the 7th year Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory bright and early with the promise of a clear, sunny day, it was with relief instead of the usual grimace or overly tired yawn that Lily awoke. After getting up and striding over to her closet to decide what to wear for the Hogsmeade visit, she noticed that Alice was awake already and, sure enough, her friend came out of the bathroom, fully clothed and followed by a fresh, flowery smell, after Lily had pulled out a pair of jeans and her favorite emerald sweater and was rooting through her trunk for clean undergarments.

She raised her eyebrow at Alice's slightly-more-fancy-than-the-usual-just-a-date appearance. "Why are you ready so early?" She restrained a giggle at her friend's endearing nerves.

Alice looked over at her and blushed as though she'd only just realized that she wasn't alone. "Er, just thought I'd make sure to be ready on time, you know?"

Lily glanced over at the alarm clock stationed on her bedside table. "You're not supposed to meet Frank for another forty-five minutes."

Alice shrugged, blushed, and replied in a small voice, "I suppose it gives me time to…to catch up on homework. And tidy up my side of the room."

Lily looked at Alice's immaculately neat area and made-up bed, then allowed just a coy smirk. "Okay, then," she replied, crossing over to the bathroom door to leave her friend to it. "I'll be out in about twenty minutes or so. We can go down to breakfast before we meet the guys, all right?" She received an affirmative in return and clicked the door shut, then settled to a shower for the day's events.

* * *

Impossible.

Her hair was _completely and utterly impossible_.

Lily was standing in front of the bathroom mirror in her dormitory, already clothed in her jeans and sweater, staring at her reflection with a scowl. The one day her hair decided _not _to cooperate! She had decided to try something new, just an experiment, so she'd attempted to charm her hair into nice curls and soft waves.

But no.

It had to be _impossible_.

Instead, her hair was now frizzier than ever and the few curls she _had _managed were beginning to unravel over her shoulders and flaring out at odd angles. Her cheeks were pink with frustration and, glancing down at her watch, she saw that it had been almost thirty minutes since she'd been in there and was due in the Great Hall in fifteen to meet Potter and Frank with Alice.

Bugger.

She could always throw it up into a ponytail or something, but she _hated _doing that. She thought she looked weird with her too-long bangs that looked like she'd left a clump of her hair out of the ponytail and it was all just a big mess. How was such a mess even _possible _with magic involved?

"Lily?"

Oh bugger it all. It was Alice. "Yes?"

"It's almost time. Are you ready yet?"

"Er, no. Why—why don't you just go on down and I'll meet you there in a little bit?"

"You sure?"

"Absolutely! I'll be right behind you!"

"Okay…"

It was silent a few moments and then she heard the dormitory door shut.

Lily sighed and stared at herself once more. _What _was she going to do with this mop for hair… She could always wash it again, but that would take too long. She could brush it through? But…that would probably only make it bushier.

Another sigh.

Merlin. What was the point of being a witch if she couldn't even charm her own hair into cooperation!

Tilting her head to the side, Lily wondered if perhaps she could try a half-up, half-down sort of style that Mary always did when she had bad hair days. If it worked for Mary, it could work for her, right?

* * *

It was another ten minutes later—after performing a miracle on her hair and putting on a tad bit of make-up—when Lily left Gryffindor tower to embark on the route down to the Great Hall to meet Alice, Frank, and, of course, Potter. Along the way she paused to check her reflection once or maybe twice and decided that she would let Mary live after all. It was a brilliant idea, really. Her hair actually looked nice for a change, textured from the failed curls, but not the same vicious beast it had been a few minutes previously, and she was buoyed into a great mood by the time she reached the final staircase leading to the big oak doors. Luckily, there was another ten or fifteen minutes before students could start queuing to be checked off to go to the wizarding village, so she had just enough time to get a bit of toast and eggs before the outing.

"Morning," she greeted the trio of them brightly as she slid into the free seat they had left for her between Potter and Alice.

"What kept you?" Alice asked lightly, clearly sending the nonverbal message that she had expected Lily sooner than this.

"Oh, you know," she replied airily, not bothering to elaborate and glad that Alice did not ask her to.

Fortunately, Potter swooped in just in the nick of time with a comment on something regarding Quidditch, if she heard correctly, and absorbed Frank into a conversation that Alice could easily carry, being a Quidditch fan herself, and Lily was mercifully left to eat her breakfast in peace.

Right after Lily thought she had had her fill, Frank suggested they begin to make their way towards the doors, as some students were already getting up as well. The foursome joined the swelling crowd and began their walk down to Hogsmeade after Filch the caretaker checked them off his list.

"Great day," Potter commented, looking around with an easygoing expression on his face, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Lily and Alice nodded and Frank offered words of agreement as they continued walking in near silence.

Well. This was going to be awkward.

As the group neared the village, Lily started listing off things to do in her head—she didn't hold much in store for this outing, but she knew that Alice had been looking forward to her date with Frank all week with much gusto and she wanted it to be a good time for her friend. At the very least she didn't want them all to be bored out of their skulls.

But Potter surprised her again, pointing as they came up to the first few shops. "Why don't we check in on Scrivenshaft's first? I know that Lily's been wanting a new quill, and I could use one myself…"

How had he known that she could use a new quill? Lily guessed she had sworn aloud at it once or twice in his presence. But it was strange that he paid attention and _remembered_. But, then again, he'd been following her around for the past few years nearly begging on hand and foot for a date too, so…

"After you," Potter said to her, gesturing inside the shop as he held the door open. Lily rolled her eyes with an amused smirk and followed Frank and Alice inside with Potter at her heels.

He followed her right back to where the shop kept her favorite quills and Lily perused them. She knew that she would end up picking the same one that she always used, a plain black, inexpensive, trusty 'ole quill, but she always liked to look at the really nice ones, like the eagle feather quill that she was carefully holding in her hands to examine. But, alas, these quills also cost more knuts than she could willingly (and smartly, what with her additional need to buy Christmas gifts this Hogsmeade trip) part with.

"Is that the one you want?"

Startled, Lily hurriedly put the quill back and turned around, only to find Potter standing behind her, looking over her shoulder. "Huh?"

Potter picked up the quill that she'd been looking at and held it in front of her. "Is this the one you want?"

Lily eyed it. "Uhm…" Certainly it was a very handsome quill, but she didn't _need _one so extravagant. "Nah," she decided with a shrug. She picked up one of the quills that she always got when she was in need of a replacement. "I'm fine with this one."

Potter smirked and rolled his eyes in the same fashion that Lily had done before entering the shop. "You don't fool me, Lils. I can tell you want this one."

"No, I _don't_," she argued. How dare he tell her what she wanted! If anybody knew what Lily wanted, it was Lily. Hmph. And that was that.

"Why don't you just carry it around while we look in the rest of the shop?" he suggested. "You can always get the other one if you still want it, but this way you have the choice."

Lily dramatically rolled her eyes. "_Fine_," she relinquished, as long as it would end this conversation.

But then Potter, satisfied with her answer, gave his attention back to the quills and gathered five in his hands and Lily couldn't help but blurt out an inquiry: "Why in Merlin's name are you getting all of those? Surely you can get along fine with one or two?"

"Oh, these aren't all for me," he answered. "Two are, but one's for Sirius because he broke his in class yesterday and I figured I'd get him a new one while I was here. And Remus couldn't come today—got held up with schoolwork—so I promised I'd get him a few."

"Oh…" Lily watched him carefully, eyebrows slightly raised. "Er…okay then…"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, a slightly amused grin slipping on his lips.

She shrugged. "Just surprised I guess. I didn't know you were like this."

"Oh, you mean considerate? I'd imagine not since you make a habit to extract yourself from me in a mere few minutes. You hardly get a chance to see exactly what I'm like, yet you claim you _know _me…"

Lily turned beet red. "Well, I—"

"Perhaps I'm not as bad as you think I am," he continued, smiling. "You might even go so far as to give me a real chance and be surprised by what you find."

Speechless, Lily watched him wink at her and then walk off to look over at some stationary, muttering something about how his mum always loved the ones with the little owls in the corners…

Well that was interesting. Lily had had this idea of James Potter in her mind ever since her first encounter with him on the Hogwart's Express and it hadn't changed much until this conversation. For the first time, Lily was wondering if maybe she _should _give him a fair chance and maybe not treat him like the scum off the bottom of her shoe every time she laid eyes on the bloke. Eh, she'd think about it…

* * *

Lily caught up to them just as Potter was joining Alice and Frank, who were animatedly chatting she noted cheerily, beside the front counter. She had barely laid her choice quill (regretfully, the cheapo—she just wouldn't be able to live with herself if she chose a nice quill over meaningful gifts for her friends and family) down on the counter when Potter snatched the eagle quill out of her hand and put it on the counter along with the rest of his items (consisting, she noticed, of the five quills and a very handsome set of stationary that she knew must be for his mum. She couldn't help but be impressed; such care for a man's mum was endearing no matter what his other flaws).

"What're you doing? I was going to buy that quill!" she protested, leaning forward to take it back.

But he wouldn't have it. Potter maneuvered himself to stand between her and the counter and shrugged. "I've got it."

Lily raised her eyebrows and watched, Stupified, as Potter did, indeed, purchase both quills and then give them to her in their own separate bag.

She did not say a single word to him as they left and continued down the cobbled lane of Hogsmeade.

* * *

It was nearly six o'clock by the time Lily and the others were making their way back to Hogwarts laden with Christmas gifts and (temporarily, she was sure the biting wind would get to them soon) warmed by butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks. Lily had managed to successfully get decent presents for everyone on her list and was even returning with some gold left to boot!

However, she had _not _managed to talk Potter out of letting her pay him back for the quills and the butterbeer he'd insisted on paying for and she was very distressed by it. Not _only _did it mean that Potter of all people had done something nice for her, but it also meant that…well, it was just such a _boyfriend _thing to do. And they weren't dating. Not really. Fake dating is not the same thing. It's a whole other ballpark with a whole new rulebook. And buying a significant _not-_other a somewhat unnecessarily expensive quill for no apparent reason other than to piss her off (or attempt to get on her good side and fail) is _definitely _not in the rulebook.

So, needless to say, Lily was very puzzled about the situation and she _tried _to treat Potter like scum again, but she just couldn't! He was too nice, the bugger! And she didn't have the heart—she would feel too bad to repay his kindness with ill manners.

However, in an attempt to return the favors, Lily had found a very simple gift that she planned to give him for Christmas. She felt it would only be polite if she did, even if he didn't plan to give her anything—at least then maybe she'd count them even with the quills.

Overall, Lily had to admit as she and Alice tiredly went to their dormitory to drop off their things before dinner (they had agreed to meet Potter and Frank again in the common room), the date hadn't been a complete bust. Alice was talking faster than a Nimbus (which was the same broomstick Potter and Frank had been fawning over when they'd went by Quality Quidditch supplies) about how much she'd enjoyed it and Lily herself hadn't had too bad a time, even with Potter there. Really, it hadn't been as torturous as she'd anticipated, laughing at his admittedly funny jokes, striking up a conversation with him, Alice, and Frank about the new haircut Professor Beery was sporting these days (a bowl cut, really? It just didn't work for the man, as she'd told the others), and generally just having an all around (dare she say it) good time.

If they _were _dating, hypothetically speaking, of course, all she meant was that the date hadn't gone _quite _as terribly as she had anticipated. It was still—er—bad, though. She could hardly get through it what with Potter being so typically _Potter_-ish. They _certainly _weren't "soul mates" as Potter had so ineloquently put it, but, hypothetically speaking, it had not been completely, horrifically _awful_.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everybody! I really appreciate you all who are reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. A special thanks goes out to: **ElvesWizardsCentaursOhmy** (otherwise known as my fantastical beta :D), **xXthenextbookwormXx**, and **tic tac toe 03 **for their great reviews for the last chapter! You guys rock! ;D


	6. Such a Smashing Holiday, Eh?

**Chapter Six: Such a Smashing Holiday, Eh?**

* * *

Rita turned the corner, coming up on the door that the note had indicated, and hurriedly looked both ways before slipping inside.

"You're late."

She rolled her eyes and turned around to face Severus Snape.

"Relax," Rita replied coolly. "My watch is a few minutes off. You got a date later or something?" She smirked, knowing this simple remark would wile him up even more—not that he could complain. She _was _helping him after all.

"What do you think you're _doing_?" he hissed, ignoring her crack and rounding on her now. "Do you not remember the deal we made? _I've _made good on my half of the bargain, but you give me _this_!"

Rita sighed, immensely bored (and starting to get a little annoyed) with his desperation and impatience.

"Calm _down_," she spat back. "I've got everything under control."

"By doing the complete _opposite _of what I wanted? You practically ran her at him! I told you to keep Lily away from Potter, and get her to _me_."

"Yes, I know," she replied snidely. "You spent at least a half hour ranting on that part, if I remember correctly."

"Well," Snape drew a few frantic breaths, his face reddening. "Well it's important."

"I see that. And don't _you _dare accuse _me_! I'm doing my job—it isn't any fault of mine that you've made the situation pretty sticky. She hates you, you know."

Snape's eyes scorched like dark, burnt-out coals for a moment before his gaze dropped to the floor. "I know," he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear.

"At any rate," she continued, "I'm positive that she'll hate Potter soon, too."

His head jerked back up and he was glaring again. "_How? _You've driven her into playing his _girlfriend_! How is that supposed to help?"

"Don't _mind _what I'm doing, you moron! Just worry about yourself," Rita snapped harshly. "I know _exactly _what I'm doing. I'm a woman; I know how we work."

"Lily is different from you," Snape insisted.

"Thankfully," she replied. "But I still know how she works—if we press Potter on her, _make _her spend time with him, then he's sure to get on her nerves like _that_," she continued, snapping her fingers. "It's simple. The best way to break up a potential couple is to put them together in the first place. And then _strike_."

* * *

The girl stopped behind the door, hearing raised voices from the other side, her curiousity piqued.

After a few moments the voices grew quieter until they couldn't be heard any more from where she stood—but then she heard footsteps, and they sounded as if they were coming right for the door…

As fast as she could, she ran out of the way and slipped in a little crevice in the wall behind a large tapestry. Listening intently, she heard a pair of women's shoes click-clocking against the floor until they were too distant to be close anymore and a few moments later the thudding steps of another person came from a little ways down the corridor, but eventually they too grew distant enough that she felt safe retreating from her hide-out.

She came out and looked both ways, her brows furrowing in confusion. The girl had recognized one of the voices, but the other remained a mystery. The question, however, was what on earth Rita Skeeter was doing trying to break up Lily Evans and James Potter. What did she stand to gain from it all?

The girl knew she should warn them, say _something_. But she wasn't sure. She _knew _Rita—they were friendly with each other—and if Rita ever found out that she had warned James Potter and Lily Evans about her plans then she'd be blacklisted from society as Hogwarts knew it.

_But _she also knew how determined Rita got when she was going for something she wanted. If it was important to her…well…Merlin help the poor fool who got in her way.

* * *

_You lot had best be on your toes. _

_Skeeter's up to something and it doesn't sound good. _

_- Silent Sue_

"The…hell—?" Sirius gaped at the note handwritten in clear, curving script that had found its way—somehow—in his bag.

"Something wrong?" James asked, turning to face Sirius from the desk beside him.

"Oh—nothing," Sirius replied quickly, stuffing the piece of parchment back in his bag as far as it would go and ducking to retrieve the quill he'd been aiming for. "Moony just put his book in my bag the other day and hasn't taken it back yet. Bugger keeps getting in the way."

Absentmindedly, James nodded and turned back towards Eardley, their Arithmancy professor, who was talking up the mid-year practice exams they would be having in just a few days.

"—will give you sufficient practice for the N.E.W.T. examinations that you will be taking in spring, and—"

But barely a word would register; Sirius was still thinking about the note he'd just found. Who in Merlin's sagging, bulgy, rotting trousers was _Silent Sue_? And how the hell had she managed to get to his bag without his knowing? Besides all this, what was up with that message? They _knew _Skeeter was up to no good! Besides, how could somebody else know about _exactly _what Skeeter was up to with them? As far as everybody else knew, all she was doing was playing around with the news and telling lies about James and Evans every other day. And they were all yucking it up, too, believing and worshipping that rag. It was pathetic, the bloody morons.

But if this person had managed to get the note into Sirius's bag, he figured they must know what they were doing—either that or they were as brainless as a sodding troll. That was another thing, though: why him? Why not James? Or Moony? They were both in the thick of it, not Sirius. He supposed it was best just to keep a lookout for now, and get a move on with Moony's idea and hope to Merlin that it would work so that the bloody business would be over with already.

* * *

"What d'you reckon?"

Peter looked up from the note and shook his head. "Dunno, mate. You _sure _it was meant for you?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and snatched the parchment back. "Of _course _it was meant for us. I don't reckon it could be for anyone else. It was in my bag, anyways."

Peter raised his eyebrows. "How'd it get there?"

"Well that's what _I'd _like to find out, you tosser," Sirius shot back impatiently.

"It doesn't seem like it's anything new," Peter offered, ignoring Sirius, "Just another warning, really. I think we should hurry up and try to get her off our back."

"Genius, Wormtail. Real genius." Sirius led the way out the dormitory after slipping the note into his back pocket. "Now _don't _tell Moony. Or James. We don't need them knowing about this…especially if it's no big deal. Moons would just get even _more _insane. 'Sides, I'm sure there's enough dirt on that broad that we'll find something by dinner and have her pinned like Snivellus hanging by his ankles with his ruddy knickers blowing in the breeze."

* * *

"Quills down," Professor McGonagall commanded. "The examination is over." She waved her wand and scrolls from every desk in the room soared up to her desk where they settled in a neat pile. "You're dismissed!" she called as the bell sounded.

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Lily bent to retrieve her bag and slipped her quill inside before swinging it on her shoulder and maneuvering the desks to get to Mary and Alice.

"I thought I was going to _die_," Mary sighed dramatically, massaging her temple.

Alice giggled. "I'm sure, Mare."

"I was!" she proclaimed, raising her arms. "I swear I've never—"

"Hey," a voice cut in, right in Lily's ear. She turned easily, already knowing who it was. It was strange but she'd somehow gotten used to Potter's incessant presence. It was like they were…friends.

He kissed her cheek and took her hand in his own.

Well, sort of. Friends/fake boyfriend-girlfriend/maybe-former-enemies. Whatever that was.

"What did you think of the test?" she asked, already knowing his answer. Lily knew that he was brilliant no matter what she chose to say about it and she knew he probably did even better than her (Charms and Potions were more her style), but she couldn't be mad at him. He was always so modest about it. It bothered her, the fact that she couldn't blame him—she _always _blamed Potter. Well, she used to.

"It was all right," he shrugged, leading her down the corridor as they headed for lunch, followed by Mary and Alice, who were by now also used to his presence and didn't giggle over him and Lily anymore—thank Merlin. "I'm sure _you _did well," he continued, smiling at her.

Lily copied his shrug. "Maybe," she consented.

Potter glanced sideways at her, waiting for more. But Lily didn't _have _more to say to him. It was all just awkward. They were forced together for no good reason and now she was starting to wonder if he wasn't as rotten as he always had been. Really, where did all the sense in the world go? Because things like this didn't just _happen_. Lily didn't believe in consequence. And she didn't believe that James Potter could suddenly stop acting like a twit, but it was _happening_.

"Are we still good for that thing tonight?" he asked.

"D'you mean Slughorn's Christmas party?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. "I don't see why not."

"Great." He smiled, though Lily noticed something different about it. It faltered moments afterwards and she felt a distant lurch of guilt.

Where was the confident James Potter she'd always known, Lily wondered, and who was this nervous idiot?

* * *

Rita arrived at Slughorn's office early and looked around the room at the few students who'd come so early because they had nothing better to do. But she _did_. With a grin, she recognized a sloppy mess of dark hair and hastened to the opposite corner of the room.

"Do you think this will work?" was the first thing he asked when she came up to him.

"If I know Potter it will," Rita replied, taking the glass of punch he offered her.

"And _do _you know him?"

Rita smirked against her glass. "If there's one sure-fire thing about James Potter, it's that he doesn't just change over night. Not even for Lily Evans."

* * *

"Are you _sure_?" Lily persisted.

"Quite," Mary replied, grinning. "I'll be fine. You guys go and have fun."

Lily bit her lip. She knew that of her, Alice, and Mary, Mary was the one who _wouldn't _be fine with staying in the dormitory by herself on a Friday night.

"Stop that. You'll ruin your lipstick."

"Mary!"

"Lily!"

"Come on, Mare," Lily asked, "You don't have to have a _date_. Hardly anybody ever does! You can just hang out with us in a group. I'm sure James will dance with you."

Mary grinned. "Thanks for offering to share that scrumptious boyfriend of yours, Lil, but the man's only got eyes for you." She shrugged. "I'll be fine. Who needs Reggie anyways?"

"Oh, come on, you don't expect me to believe that, do you?" Lily asked. "You _loved _Reginald."

Mary shrugged again. "Things change."

"Maybe," Lily replied grimly, knowing that Mary wouldn't budge. "I wish you were coming with us, though. We'll all miss you."

"Yes, but right now, _James _is missing _you_. So go already, Lily!" She gave Lily a playful push out the door and jovially called, "Have a good time for me!"

With a sigh, Lily trudged down the stairs, knowing that she couldn't avoid this any longer. It wasn't really the fact that she would spend all evening in Slughorn's stuffy and magically-enlarged office, nor was it the fact that Mary wouldn't be coming. Mary _hated _coming to these things and Lily knew it. And it _definitely _wasn't Potter. It wasn't. Because she'd been stuck to him like glue for a few weeks now and she was alive and well. Mostly. So no, it wasn't him.

Okay.

It was Potter.

Lily _hated _admitting anything of the kind even to herself, but he was starting to…grow on her. Which shouldn't happen. Because then maybe she'd want to be friends. And then that would ruin _everything_. She was _supposed _to continue hating him so that they could go back to being enemies when this was all over.

Bloody Potter.

"Is she coming?" Alice asked as Lily descended the last few stairs from the girls' dormitories.

Lily shook her head.

"I didn't think she would," Alice mumbled with a grimace. "But still…it would have been nice."

"Don't worry," Frank said. "We'll have a fun time." Alice grinned at him.

"Have either of you seen James?" Lily asked, looking around the common room. "He was supposed to meet us."

"Nope," Alice sighed. "We were actually hoping—"

"Sorry I'm late, everybody," Potter said in a rush as he hurried down the stairs from the boys' dormitories. He hopped the last few stairs and went to Lily's side, eyes roving over her.

"Everything all right?" she asked when Alice and Frank were already at the portrait hole and he had barely moved a muscle.

Potter gave a low whistle. "Bloody brilliant…"

"James…?" Lily waved a hand in front of his face.

This seemed to do the trick. Potter shook his head and looked at her wide eyes. "I—I mean, you look great. Smashing, really."

Lily blushed. "Er…thanks. Shall we go?"

"Absolutely," he replied hurriedly, taking her hand and heading to the portrait hole.

* * *

The party was in full swing when the four of them arrived. Slughorn had really outdone himself this year, Lily thought when she first caught sight of the room. As usual it was larger than three offices put together, with decorations all around: a golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting golden and crimson light from the candle flames; enormous Christmas trees lined the corners of the room, filled with live pixies just like the ones in the Great Hall; and there was even a raised platform where a wizarding band that Lily wasn't familiar with was beating out the rhythms to popular songs.

"Care to dance?" Potter asked, leaning close for her to hear over the ruckus.

_No_, _not particularly._

Lily nodded, taking his offered hand and allowing him to lead her to the golden dance floor where other couples were already shaking around and laughing like drunken hyenas.

By the time that they had been there an hour and a half, Lily finally had to admit to herself that she was having fun. Once the catchy songs and the Christmas punch (she vaguely wondered if Slughorn had spiked it) got into their systems, it was hard not to. They began to act just as idiotic and carefree as all the rest and it was fantastic.

"Would you like a drink?" Potter called to her over the deafening music.

"Sure!" she yelled back, gripping his hand as they zigged and zagged through the crowds of people to get to the tables.

"You can find a place to sit, if you like, and I'll get the drinks," Potter told her. Lily nodded and went off to find an empty table for two.

Maybe this wouldn't be quite so bad, she pondered when she sat down, glancing at Potter's retreating form. You know, all the time. Maybe he _was _different from the obnoxious toe rag from their fifth year. The idea was impossible, but so was nearly everything else about her lifestyle. She was a _witch_, after all.

But still yet. She was having _fun_. She'd been out with guys before, but had never had this much fun. It had always been about impressing them, trying to get them to _like _her.

But Potter _adored _her, she thought with a peeking grin. There was no stopping it. Even if her hair was a pigsty like it had been the other night when they'd done their homework together or if she was yelling herself hoarse at him, all red-faced and full of rage, as she had the past six years. He kept coming back and she didn't even have to _try_. She, well—she _liked _it. Lily was beginning to like the fact that she didn't have to be nervous around him, that she didn't have to _worry _that the "date" wouldn't go as planned. With Potter, they never did. But she was starting to think that that wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

"_Psst!_ _Aubrey!_"

Bertram Aubrey turned away from his friends to find Rita Skeeter looking at him from a deserted corner of the party.

"I'll be right back…" He told his mates. "Er—the loo."

He extracted himself from the others and went for Skeeter. "What do you want, Ravenclaw?"

"Nothing, Slytherin. This is about what _you _want." She held up a hand full of galleons.

"Keep talking," he advised, raising an eyebrow at the gold.

"See Potter over there?" she asked, whipping the hand full of gold under her dress robes as she pointed across the room. Bertram glanced over and saw Lily Evans sitting down as Potter approached her with two glasses.

"Yeah."

"I want you to fight with him."

Bertram looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

Skeeter rolled her eyes. "Say something to provoke him. Jinx him. _Whatever_. I don't care. Just do _something _to get him whiled up enough to want to fight you."

"You want me to duel James Potter?" Bertram grinned, shaking his head. "You're off your rocker, Skeeter."

She thrust the handful of gold under his nose. "Am I?"

* * *

"Explain, you two," McGonagall said sternly, her hands entwined atop her desk as she stared down at them through her specticles.

The party had abruptly ended for Lily and Potter twenty minutes prior, due to an outbreak of spontaneous fighting from Potter and a Slytherin in their year called Aubrey, and now they were both in McGonagall's office.

Lily glanced over at Potter and noticed that his eye was purpling from the bruise Aubrey had served him and his cut lip was still bleeding.

"He provoked me, Professor," Potter told her grimly. There was no doubt, from the tone of his voice, that he wanted to go back and pummel Aubrey some more.

"And I suppose that gives you license to give everyone a show of Muggle dueling, does it, Potter?"

He didn't say anything.

"Please, Professor," Lily said, "Aubrey honestly _did _come over to us and say something to James."

"And that is when the first punch was delivered?" McGonagall asked sourly. "From _Mr. Potter_."

Lily gulped. "Well…yes. But I _know _that he wouldn't have done it if there weren't good _reason, _Professor. I'm sure that—"

"He called my date a mudblood, Professor," Potter bit out.

Lily faltered and stared, her face reddening. Potter didn't look back at her.

McGonagall stopped too and looked at her hands. "Still yet, Potter," she said, a tad gentler, "That does not give a student the excuse."

"I'm aware, Professor. I'm fully prepared to take detention or whatever else you'd like to give me."

McGonagall swallowed back her reply. "Very well," she finally muttered. "You will have detention in my office the Monday night after holidays are over, Potter. I will see to it that Mr. Aubrey receives a detention as well."

Potter nodded and made to get up. Lily slowly followed and they both retreated into the dark hallway.

The trip back to Gryffindor tower was silent. Lily did not know what to say, though she was sure a "thanks" should be in order from her end. But still yet, her mouth didn't want to open just yet.

And Potter didn't say a word to her, except, "Watch for that step," when they'd come upon the staircase with the missing step. Lily had almost put her foot through the hole, but noticed her mistake just in time with Potter's warning.

When they returned to the tower, Alice was first to meet them at the portrait hole. "Everything all right?" she asked Lily.

Lily nodded and followed Potter to where he sat on the couch that the two had been occupying a lot lately. She shot Alice a look and her friend nodded understandingly. She walked off, whispered something in Frank's ear, and said goodnight before climbing the staircase to the girl's dormitories.

Now the common room was empty. Anyone who wasn't asleep in their beds or packing to leave the next day was at Slughorn's party. She and Potter were the only ones there. Alone.

The need for some sort of break through the silence pricked Lily until finally she blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "You shouldn't have done that."

He didn't reply. Lily glanced over at him and saw that he was dabbing at his lip. He wasn't doing a very good job, either. The blood wasn't dripping as freely anymore, but it hadn't stopped either.

"Oh, give me that," she finally said, reaching for the napkin. He didn't fight as she took it and leaned over to have a better look at his face. "You've—you've got to apply pressure to it," she mumbled, swallowing back her nerves. Her eyes darted to his eye and to his bruised jaw.

"Here, hold this," Lily murmured, pressing his hand over the napkin to stop the bleed from his lip. Then she took out her wand and gingerly ran a finger across his drooping eyelid. It was definitely swollen, and the eye was a tad bloodshot. It would leave its mark tomorrow, but she felt obligated to at least lessen the pain and swelling if she could. She pointed her wand at his eye and muttered a spell that she'd seen Madam Pomfrey use when Lily had had to bring Alice to the Hospital Wing for a black eye after one of her incidents playing a makeshift game of Quidditch with a few of the other girls in Gryffindor.

"Better?"

He nodded.

Lily gently moved her hands down to his jaw and used her fingers to tilt his head a little to look at it more closely. Potter's body tensed when she did this and he bared his teeth as though against a bad sting. His hand whipped up and covered hers, pulling it away.

"Sorry," she muttered softly. Lily lifted her other hand up his jaw and traced a finger where Aubrey's fist had made contact.

"How could you do this?" she murmured. It was so unlike him. She hadn't seen him _ever _get into a fight like this. Even when Snape had called her…er…_that _in fifth year, Potter hadn't been _this _adamant about making him pay for it.

"The git had it coming," he replied, wincing.

"He's not worth it, James."

"You're right. He's not."

Lily raised an eyebrow. She was sure that this might be the _one, _singletime that he had _ever _agreed with her when she'd been reprimanding him.

"But you are," he said, bringing his eyes up to hers when he spoke.

Lily's breath left her in a _whoosh _of surprise and she just stared.

For the first time, she noticed that his eyes were hazel. A nice hazel. Lily had never realized this before. She wondered why.

But then, she remembered Potter's glasses breaking and her stuffing them into her pocket before they'd gone to see Professor McGonagall. Lily took them out, tapped her wand on them and said, "_Reparo_," before slipping them back on his face.

Leaning back from him, Lily decided that she'd had enough for one night. She didn't want her emotions to take advantage of her. Just because he'd defended her didn't mean anything, right?

But she was lying to herself again, and she knew it. It _did _mean something; she just didn't want it to.

Lily gave him a weak little grin. "Thank you," she muttered, and then got up from the couch and went up to the girls' dormitories for the night.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. :)


	7. The Snitch and the Stag

**Chapter Seven: The Snitch and the Stag**

* * *

"Wormtail!"

"_What_, Sirius? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?" Irritated, Peter turned away from his work to glance around and make sure that Pince wasn't within hearing range. She had a _special _sort of loathing for Sirius's antics.

"_What_?" he repeated, once Sirius reached him and plopped in the chair at the opposite side of the table.

"Look," Sirius said, "_Look _at this!" He too anxiously glanced around and then slid a crumpled scrap of parchment across the table to Peter.

Peter picked up the parchment, unfolded it, and then read out: "_'Told you. That fight wasn't coincidence.'_" Underneath the message was a curly signature, bearing _Silent Sue_.

"Do you think she might be on to something?" Sirius asked in low tones once Peter looked back up at him again.

"Dunno," Peter muttered, pushing the parchment back at him. "I do know this, though—whoever this _Sue _girl is, she's trouble. She _knew _James was going to get into that fight somehow."

"What do you mean? You think _she's _pulling the strings?"

Peter shrugged. "I don't know. But, either way, why would she tell us? It's like she wants to warn us…but it doesn't seem like she _cares_. She doesn't seem too anxious to help, anyways…"

Sirius sighed. "You're right. But what _now_? We were in here looking through books all last week and _nothing_. Whatever we plan to find on Skeeter, we won't find in the Library."

"I didn't think we would," Peter replied.

"But," Sirius intervened, smirking, "There is _one _place we haven't checked yet…"

* * *

Rita woke up unusually early on the last day of classes before she would be getting on the train and heading home for the holidays and thankfully a break from all this madness. She had finally finished her application and all its requirements to the _Daily Prophet_, including the high sales her stories on Evans and Potter have been accumulating, and was now basking in the opportunity for some Snape-free _Rita _time.

Thoughts of the annual spa trip that her mum always took her on during Christmas break kept Rita in high spirits as she showered for the day to come. But, when she got out and went to towel herself, she saw something on the mirror and went to investigate.

'_Stop playing games,' _a mysterious note said, in no script that Rita recognized—but, how was that possible? The only people with access to her dormitory were her, the other Ravenclaw girls, and the professors. It certainly wasn't her—nor did she imagine any of the professors had placed it there. Which meant it _had _to be a student…but _who_?

And what the hell did it even _mean_, 'stop playing games'? What did any of those bimbos know about anything she might or might not be up to?

One thing was for sure, though, Rita decided after she dried herself and began to get dressed, she _would _find out who the cretin was and she'd make sure to take care of them so that nobody would find out a single thing. Now that she was so close to joining the _Prophet _staff, _nothing _would stand in her way. _Nothing_.

* * *

"Wait, not _yet, _Wormtail!" Sirius grabbed the scruff of Peter's neck and pulled him back. "Wait until I give the all-clear!"

Sirius turned his attention back to the map in his hand and scanned the 7th year Ravenclaw Girls' Dormitory. So far, every one of them had already gone down to breakfast except for Abigail Edgecombe.

"Sirius, it's already _eight_," Peter warned.

"_Shut _it! Missing a class won't kill you. It might even do you some good." Sirius peered back at the map, and to his relief, Abigail Edgecombe was walking down the stairs from the Dormitory. "Okay!" he whispered, "It's all clear, let's go."

Peter nodded and edged against the tower as he crept towards the window. The latch was locked, but a simple _Alohomora _cast by Sirius gave them full access. Quickly, he and Peter both hurried through the window. Sirius pulled his broomstick in after them and then shut it again.

"Okay," Peter said, "Now, if you were Rita Skeeter, where would you hide all of your deepest, darkest secrets?"

"Dunno, diary?" Sirius stood up and looked around the room. "Which bed do you suppose is hers?"

Peter shrugged and went for the one closest to the door of the dormitory, pulling back the hangings. But before he could open the first drawer to the bedside table, thumping sounds came from behind the door. Peter stopped and urgently looked back at Sirius. "_Somebody's coming!" _he mouthed before hurriedly dropping to the floor and rolling under the bed.

Thankfully Sirius had had the foresight to bring along James's cloak and now pulled it out of his pocket and threw it over himself just before the door opened and none other than Abigail Edgecombe came inside. She stopped short at the door and frowned, looking around, as though she _knew _something was not right.

Sirius didn't dare move—Merlin only knew what Skeeter would do to them all if she found out that he had been in their dorm.

Damn. Abigail was walking _right towards him_. It was all Sirius could do to hold his breath and make his body absolutely _still_.

She paused, just before him, but then went to the bedside table next to him and rummaged in the top drawer. Finally she pulled out a book and then, giving the room a swift look, went to the door and left.

A minute, perhaps, passed and Peter made a move to get out from under the bed.

"Stop you _idiot_," Sirius whispered. "_Wait." _He carefully checked the map and waited until Abigail left Ravenclaw tower. Then he breathed freely and shucked off the cloak before telling Peter it was okay to come out.

"Thank _Merlin_," Peter sighed, coming out from under the bed. "I could've sworn she was gonna find you…"

Sirius smirked. "I'm sneakier than _that, _Wormtail."

* * *

Come _on_. Class shouldn't take _this _long, should it? Lily was about to _murder_ herself, honestly.

She had already finished her Potions assignment for the day and was looking at the clock across the dungeon, silently willing it to move faster. Even the Head Girl felt the euphoric desire for the Christmas break.

Alas, Mum had written her to say that she, Dad, and Petunia were going to the Dursleys' for the break and Lily had declined her offer to spend it with them (even _she _wasn't patient enough for the Dursleys), so she didn't have overly much to look forward to _but _she was in desperate need of a break from all the N.E.W.T. work she'd been putting in.

Four twenty-two, the clock now read. Eight minutes to go. _Eight freaking minutes_. If only there was a spell to make those minutes go by faster, Lily thought to herself wryly as she lolled her head on her desk.

At the front, Slughorn glanced at the clock and, seeing the time, called out to the class, "Time to pack up, everyone! Just a few minutes to the end of the lesson!"

_Ugggggghhhhh_. Lily closed her eyes and tilted her head the other way, resting it on her already packed bag. A few moments later she heard the shuffle of feet and, if she wasn't mistaken, was sure that somebody had just sat down next to her.

"Hello, my darling Lily!"

Why wasn't she surprised?

"How can you _possibly _be so chipper?"

When he didn't reply, Lily raised her head and saw Potter, closer than she had thought, leaning his head on the desk next to her.

"_You _are stressed."

She rolled her eyes. "What a profound, dim-witted observation," Lily mumbled crankily.

Potter chuckled. "You need to have some fun, Lily, loosen up and all that. You deserve it after all this work."

"Absolutely," she sighed with a lazy smile. "That is _why _I am looking forward to a nice, peaceful Christmas break in my dorm. Books and hot chocolate, my friend. Books and hot chocolate. The _ultimate _relaxation…"

"Oh come on, Lily," Potter said, touching her arm, "That isn't _fun_."

"But it is relaxing."

"How about this," he offered, "Tomorrow, you'll come outside with me and we'll go sledding and have a snowball fight and _everything_."

Lily cracked an eye open. "I dunno…"

"Bring Alice and Mary along if you'd like," he shrugged. "It _will _be fun, though, I can promise you. And it can be just as friends. Wouldn't you like that?"

She _would_, actually, but she wasn't about to clue Potter in on that fact.

"Alice is going home for Christmas, but I can bring Mary?"

Potter's smile widened. "Of course. In fact, we'll get _all _of Gryffindor tower out tomorrow. It'll be a blast, trust me."

"Okay," she consented, grinning as she yawned.

* * *

"Up and at 'em, toots!"

"Wha'?" Lily groggily addressed the voice before rolling over and squinting her eyes shut against the bright light that she sensed through her eyelids.

"C'mon, Lily! Get up!" The voice came closer and then—_pounce!_

"_Ow_, Mare! That was my _stomach!_"

"Oh, good, you're up!"

Peeved, Lily opened her eyes and glared at Mary's retreating, smiling form. "What _time _is it?"

"Nearly nine," Mary replied brightly. "C'mon, you'll miss all the fun!"

"Huh?" Lily's sleepy mind took in Mary's appearance—a large jacket, boots, hat, and scarf—and then finally, she remembered.

"Oh!" Lily's eyes popped wide and she hurriedly staggered out of bed and went for her trunk. Mary's snickers followed her as she searched for something to wear. Luckily, her warmest blue sweater was right on top, along with a pair of worn jeans. A little more digging found her some undergarments and then she hastily went for the bathroom.

"I'll tell them you'll be ready in twenty!" Mary's amused voice called after her.

* * *

"Do I look okay?" Lily glanced away from Mary to peer at her reflection. She'd decided not to wash her hair (she'd washed it the night before, after all, and did _not _want to go out in the snow with wet hair) and wasn't entirely sure about that decision now, what with it's odd desire to curl and wave in such a wild manner.

Mary giggled. "You look _fine_, Lily," she assured.

Lily bit her lip and nodded, deciding that she did always have her hat to hide it away, and looked away from the mirror to go track down her boots.

"You seem awfully worried about your appearance. You know, what with it being _only the Gryffindors_," Mary teased, quoting Lily's nonchalant invitation the day before.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I just don't want to look like I fell out of bed and decided I was ready for the day, all right?"

"I'm just teasing you, Lils. What's the big deal, anyways? James already thinks you're _gorgeous_."

Not knowing how to reply to something like this, Lily blushed and gave her friend a weak smile before announcing that she was ready and heading down to the common room.

* * *

"It's quiet. _Too _quiet…"

"Shut _up_, Black," Mary shot back, rolling her eyes. Lily giggled.

"We need a plan of action," Mary continued, looking at the two of them. Somehow, Lily and Mary had been stuck with Black when teams were made for a snowball fight. _The enemy _consisted of Potter, Marlene, and Cal Fletcher, who was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team with Potter and Marlene as their fellow Chaser (Remus and Peter had both gone home for the holidays). Mary deemed it hardly fair for the three athletes to be on the same team, but neither she nor Lily thought it necessary to argue over.

Lily edged up and peered over their icy fort. A snowball came whizzing towards her and narrowly missed just as she plopped back down. "We have to be sneaky," she whispered. "They're ready and trigger-happy."

"Check this out," Black said. Lily and Mary exchanged a look, but humored him. Smirking, he formed a snowball and then took out his wand and charmed it to hang in mid-air.

"_Genius_," Mary admired, beaming. Lily and she watched as Black used his wand to hurl the snowball out of their fort and over to the other side.

"ARRGGGH!" a voice called a moment later, and the three of them collapsed in laughter. "I'VE BEEN HIT!" Potter's voice continued theatrically.

In between their laughter, Lily and the others formed more snowballs and she glanced between her two companions. "On three?"

"Three," Mary asserted with an exhilarated grin.

"One," Lily said.

"Two…" Black continued.

"THREE!" Mary shouted, and they all sent their snowballs flying as they rushed out of hiding to watch the spoils of their effort. The wave of snow rained down on the other three in a frenzy and they all shouted in anguish.

Lily was hiding between a tree not far from the other team's fort and she could barely contain her laughter as she watched them all freak out. In fact, she was laughing _so _hard that she slid down the tree and went into a fit, during which her eyes teared up from laughing so hard and she didn't see the approach of the _enemy_.

"Gotcha!"

Lily opened her eyes then, surprised to find the voice so close, and discovered Potter hovering over her, smirking as he held up a snowball.

"Er. Merry Christmas?" Lily grinned widely, but took a face full of snow despite her efforts. The moment that she felt the pressure of his hands pinning her arms down disappear, Lily rose and wiped the snow out of her eyes before running after Potter's retreating figure.

"Come back here!" she shrieked, half-laughing, half-trying to catch her breath. "I'll get you for this, Potter!"

"You'll have to catch me first, Evans!" he called back. And then he made the mistake of turning his head back to smile at her and his legs pitched his body forward and he tumbled down a small hill up ahead of her.

Unable to help herself, Lily erupted in giggles and ran over, finding Potter tangled in a mess of his own limbs.

"Are…you okay?" she asked, trying (and failing) to contain herself as she sank down next to him in the snow. "Potter?" she asked when he didn't respond, beginning to get slightly worried. He'd _tripped_—it hadn't looked like much to her, but _maybe_…

"Got you!" he suddenly shouted, rolling himself over and pinning her to the ground.

"Okay, _okay_," she consented, working to catch her breath in-between laughs, "You win."

"Never thought I'd hear Lily Evans say that to me," he quipped, smirking."

"Never thought you'd actually beat me at anything," she retorted, an equally devious smirk on her face.

Potter didn't have anything to say to that, but he didn't let her up either. It was kind-of nice, being like that—for one, she was so tired that a bit of lying down felt great, but for _another_…

_Merlin_, her brain registered. _He looks like he wants to kiss me. _

She didn't make an attempt to move—it felt like if she _did_, she'd break the spell and either Potter would get very brave and kiss her, or he'd suddenly remember to care about self-preservation and let her up. And the cold, hard truth was, Lily wasn't entirely sure which outcome would disappoint her more.

But it didn't matter if she moved or not, because Potter's eyes flickered out of their dazed state and he lifted himself on his knees, then offered her a hand. "C'mon. It's getting too cold out here. Let's get inside."

Perplexed, Lily took his hand and let him pull her to her feet before following him back over to the others, who shared sentiments of going inside and changing into dry clothes for dinner. What with all of her knowledge and experience with the subject _James Potter_, over the years, the _last _thing she expected was him not to take advantage of her in such a way. The weird part was that it felt like a much bigger deal than it really was and Lily had no idea what to make of such an observation.

* * *

"_Lily_! Presents!"

"OW_,_ Mare! We are _not _going to make this a daily routine, _okay_?"

Gingerly cradling the back of her head, which had hit her bedpost when Mary had cannonballed onto her bed, Lily sat up and tiredly opened her eyes to survey the room. Mary was delightedly sitting on her own bed now, already tearing into the pile of presents at the end.

"Thanks, Lil!" she called over, holding up Lily's present to her, which was an assortment of Mary's favorite chocolates from Honeydukes.

She nodded back, "Of course." And then, briefly gazing past her own pile of presents, Lily stumbled out of bed and went to her trunk.

"Lily? Aren't you going to open your presents?"

Lily ignored her until she found what she was looking for and held up the small package. "Do you think it's stupid?" she asked.

Mary smiled, seeming to read her mind and know exactly what she was thinking. "No. I think he'll like it."

* * *

Her stomach squirmed; why oh _why _did she _have _to guilt herself into getting him a present! _So _many things could go wrong! He could read too much into it and think she _liked _him, he could hate it, he could hate _her_!

But she suckered up all of her courage and went down to the empty common room anyways. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs to the Boys' Dormitories, she tried to convince herself again that it was a bad idea and she should go back. But she wanted to do it—she just…she just _wanted _to, all right?

So it was with that weak feeling of uncertainty that Lily silently went up the stairs and to the door marking the Marauders' territory. Lily opened it and pushed it open, carefully peering inside. Thank _Merlin_, they were still asleep. Relief calmed her when she realized she wouldn't have to do it in person.

Quick as she could, Lily edged herself through the scant doorway she left for herself, afraid to open the door wider, and tiptoed over to the bed where she knew Potter would be snoring away. Next to it was his bedside table, littered with sweet wrappers, a small stack of _Which Broomstick?_ issues, and an assortment of ordinary items such as his glasses and wand. Lily took the parcel out from her robe pocket and ever so carefully placed it on top of the magazines, then backed out, trying her hardest not to even _breathe_. If he caught her there, _delivering his present_, especially, she would _never _live it down.

"Mission impossible go all right, then?" Mary greeted when Lily sprinted back into their dormitory as if You-Know-Who himself had been chasing her.

Lily shut the door and meandered over to her bed, throwing Mary a dirty look, which she only replied with a chuckle, and then began to dig into her own presents.

* * *

"Oi, James!"

Next thing he knew, something was chucked at his head and James felt a small throb around his temple.

"_How _many times do I have to ask you not to wake me by treating me like a target?" James grumbled as he sat up in his bed and felt over on his bedside table for his glasses.

Sirius smirked from his bed. "Only thing to do, mate. I could do an imitation of Evans, if you prefer?"

"Only if I want nightmares," James replied darkly as his fingers came across a square package on his bedside table. Squinting, he turned around and went for his glasses, and then, after putting them on, inspected the package. "Sirius, is this from you?"

"Nah, mate. You'll _know _which one's from me."

"Hmm…" Riddled with curiousity, James undid the neat bow on top and took off the lid to the box. Inside, nestled on white tissue paper, was a snitch. Underneath it was a note.

"_Figured you could use one of these so you can stop stealing the school's_," it read in flowy print. Underneath were the initials _L. E. _in cursive.

James set the note back down in the box and picked up the snitch with a growing smile.

Just after he touched the snitch, it zoomed into the air and performed cartwheels over itself in loops and turns. James watched it curiously, but then when it was finished, it flew back to his hand and above him read _Happy Christmas _in twinkling, fading lights.

"What's that?" Sirius asked.

"It's been charmed to write words in the air or something," James offered. "Pretty neat, huh?"

"_No_." Sirius stood up and went over to him. "What's _that_?" he asked, pointing at what looked like a miniature reindeer galloping through the letters to make them disappear in silver mist.

"It's a _stag_, James." Sirius's eyes roved over to the parcel. "Who gave you that?"

* * *

After all their Christmas gifts were opened, squealed or laughed over accordingly, and Lily and Mary had both showered and dressed for the day, it was almost eight-thirty and they decided to go down to breakfast.

Unluckily for Lily, however, they weren't the only ones at the Gryffindor table when they arrived—further down, Potter, Black, Marlene, Fletcher, and another boy that Lily didn't know the name of (in short, the only Gryffindors who'd stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays) were sitting in a comfortable cluster.

"Why don't we join them?" Mary suggested.

"Uh…let's not," Lily replied nervously. "Come on, there's plenty of room down—"

"Lily, Mary, come join us!"

So _close_. Inwardly cursing, Lily turned around to see Marlene waving them both over. "Oh, er, yeah!" she called back, "Yeah, of course…" Following Mary's lead, Lily went over to them and took a seat on Marlene's right, finding herself right across from Potter.

However, instead of the usual smirk over his toast that Lily was waiting for, he looked downwards at his plate the moment she looked up at him, as though reluctant to meet her gaze.

Oh _no_. He must have seen her present, Lily concluded. He probably didn't even _like _it. It was so stupid, after all.

Lily's spirits didn't increase over the entire breakfast and she sat staring at her porridge, running a spoon through it. As soon as she noticed Mary stop eating her breakfast, Lily made a quick excuse to leave and took Mary by the hand, hurrying away from the others.

"_Lily_, what's the matter?" Mary hissed at her.

"Wait," Lily warned, looking back to ensure none of them could hear her.

"_What_?" Mary asked exasperatedly as soon as they were behind the double-doors.

"Did you _see _that?" Lily asked her anxiously. "He didn't even _speak _to me. He hated it, Mary, he _hated_ it! I _knew _something like this would happen. I try to be nice and it just blows up all in my face!"

"Calm _down_!" Mary commanded, taking hold of both her shoulders. "Now, Lily, tell me, in a _calm voice_ what on earth has you so worked up."

"He didn't like my gift."

"How do you know?"

"_Because_," Lily insisted, "I can just…I can just _tell_, Mary. He didn't like it and now he doesn't ever want to talk to me because I screwed up."

"Lily, James isn't going to _dump _you over a present. Can't you tell he cares more than _that_?"

"Did _you _see him talk to me during breakfast? Or even _look _at me for that matter?"

Mary shrugged. "Maybe he was still tired."

"Maybe," Lily consented, knowing that Mary would never relent to believe and condone that Potter would ever stop liking her. But—_Merlin _—did a simple silent treatment shake her to the core. She was just becoming so _used _to his presence was what it was. A mere change in routine brought her far off balance. She had to get rid of this Potter kick, and fast.

* * *

"James, I'm telling you—"

"Lay _off, _Sirius," James shot back crossly. "She would never do anything like that."

Merlin, breakfast was over and the _first _thing Sirius decided to do after they'd come back to their dormitory was hanker him some more about his theory regarding Lily and their secret.

"How do you know?"

"Because I _know _her!" James retorted. "Lily wouldn't sell us out to Skeeter. She doesn't even _know _about it, all right?"

"Then what the hell is she doing sending you a snitch with an effing _stag _coming out of it, James? Huh? _Huh_?"

"I don't _know_! Why not ask _her_?"

"James—"

"No," James intervened, shaking his head at Sirius. He gathered up his school bag with him and put his worn copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages _inside before swinging onto his back and going to the door. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to you, Sirius. I _know _that Lily wouldn't do something like this and I don't need _you _to try and convince me otherwise."

Furiously, James left Gryffindor tower and decided to head for the Library. Hopefully it would be empty or nearly so and he could find a nice, quiet place to sit without Sirius's nagging. Honestly, he was getting _far _too worked up about Skeeter's plans. She hadn't even printed any stories about him and Lily since his brawl at Slughorn's party—which, incidentally, Sirius _insisted _was Skeeter's doing. It might have been, James admitted to himself, but that did _not _mean that Lily of all people had something to do with this mess.

She couldn't. She could _not_. She wouldn't betray him like that. She wouldn't—

"Oh, sorry."

The small voice shot through James's frantic thoughts and he noticed the girl in front of him: petite, red-haired, freckled, object of his deepest affections. It was Lily.

She blushed when she looked up and saw him, almost in a _Oh Merlin, NO, not HIM_! way as opposed to a nervous, flirty way, which he would have preferred.

"You okay?"

Lily nodded, keeping her head down.

James raised an eyebrow. "Sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied stiffly.

"Uh…okay. Do you want to join me, then?"

This time Lily looked up and her forehead wrinkled. "What's going on, Potter? First, at breakfast, you act like I don't even _exist_ and now you're asking me to _read _with you?"

Blast. She _had _noticed.

"Well—I…er…Siriuswasn'thappywithyouthismorning," he explained quickly, blushing and looking away.

"Sirius…what? I didn't catch that."

"Sirius and I…er…had an argument," James told her. "And it was kinda…about…well, you."

Lily's eyes rounded and she blushed. "About…Me?"

"Yeah."

Lily lowered herself into the chair at a nearby table and James followed, sitting across from her.

"Why would you two argue about me?" she asked quietly, her eyes trained on her school books as she pulled them out of her bag one at a time.

"Well, Sirius thinks…Sirius has this…er…_theory_."

"And?"

"He says that you're…er…bad."

Lily lifted her head and raised an eyebrow. "I'm…bad?"

James instantly regretted it. He was starting to sound as articulate as a ten year-old.

"He thinks you…know something. About us. A…secret. Kind-of."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Potter, what are you _talking _about?"

There was nothing else to it. If she knew _anything_, he had to know. It would drive him nuts if he didn't.

"Why did you think I like stags?" he asked quietly, leaning across the table.

"Oh. That." Lily blushed profusely and looked down at her papers again.

"Well?" Her apparent reluctance to answer the question worried him. Sirius _couldn't _possibly be right, could he?

Lily shrugged. "I remembered it was the shape your Patronus makes," she replied quietly.

His Patronus.

His _Patronus_.

"Really?"

Lily gave a slow nod and relief coursed through him. He couldn't _wait _to tell Sirius how wrong he'd been!

"Something wrong?" James asked, when Lily refused to lift her head and address him again.

"No."

James peered closely at her and realized that she probably wasn't even paying _attention _to her work. She just kept sucking on her quill and staring at the parchment.

"Lily?"

"_What_?" Lily lifted her head and glared at him.

"What's wrong? Are you…mad at me? What did I do?"

"Nothing," she insisted in that quiet, nervous voice of hers again. "You didn't do anything."

"Then what's wrong?"

"_Nothing, _Potter!"

"Lily, just tell me what's the matter," James insisted.

"You want to know what's _wrong_?" she shot back, louder than he expected, glaring daggers at him again. James looked around, waiting for Pince to come and kick them both out.

"Forget it," Lily muttered crossly, standing up and gathering her things back into her bag.

"Lily, wait—" James stood up after her and grabbed her wrist.

"_What_?" she asked, flinging her arm away from him. "_What _do you want from me?"

"I just want to know what I did to upset you," he said, watching her worriedly. "C'mon, Lils…"

"I'm supposed to _hate _you," Lily replied, looking down at her bag. "And you're supposed to hate me back. That's how it _works_, Potter. You don't get to change the rules now, and I _certainly_ shouldn't be remembering what your bloody _Patronus _is, all right? Are you _happy _now?"

"I—" James didn't quite know how to respond to all that, but before he could say _anything_, Lily was already mumbling something like, "I've got to go," and stalking past him straight out of the Library.

* * *

**A/N: **This chapter went in quite a different direction than I'd originally planned, but I like the way it turned out! Hopefully you all enjoyed it. :) Thanks SO MUCH to everybody reading this story! I really appreciate it, guys - you're the best! :D


	8. Not Like This

**Chapter Eight: Not Like This**

* * *

'_Why won't you give James a chance, Lily?' _

Her friends had always asked her this same question over and over and _over_. But now, Lily forgot the ready-made answer she had always given them.

'_He's such a git_!' seemed like such a feeble excuse now because it was both (for the most part) not factual and didn't even _really _answer the question. You don't reject somebody because they're a git. You reject them because they aren't _right _for you.

And that's what Lily had always figured. Well, James Potter was a git, so obviously he wasn't right for her! Simple, right?

But lately he _hadn't _been a git. At all. It's like somebody stole his hairs, concocted a Polyjuice potion, and took on his persona before stuffing the _real _James Potter into a broom closet just for the fun of it. But Lily knew this wasn't true—for one, _nobody_ could play James Potter as well as, well, James Potter. And for the broom closet matter, she knew this school well enough to have confidence that if he _were _trapped in one, somebody would've found him long before this.

So the only logical reasoning was that he's changed. Or she's changed. Or _both_.

_Something _has definitely changed, Lily determined as she stared at the note she'd received by owl at her window some days previously. It was from Potter, naturally. He'd written her to tell her that he was sorry about whatever he had done to upset her, blah blah blah, and that he really needed to talk to her, blah blah blah, and that he loved the gift she'd given him and wished she'd only come to see him, blah blah _blah_.

Since her little blow up at Potter in the Library, Lily had refused to come out of her dormitory. She just didn't want to see anyone, least of all Potter. And thankfully she didn't have to because she had all her school things and books galore and Mary was kind enough to help a friend in need and bring her food from the Great Hall.

Speaking of which…

Lily heard familiar footsteps down the hall and turned to see her friend coming through the doorway, carrying a plate of food.

"Thanks, Mary," Lily told her, taking the plate.

"This really can't continue," Mary sighed. "You guys had a fight, so what? That doesn't mean it's _over_."

Lily sighed and sat on her bed with her food. This was becoming far too complicated. She couldn't even have a real girl-to-girl conversation with one of her best friends about why she was upset! And it was all Potter's _fault_.

"It's complicated," Lily told her. Because that was _very _true. It _was _complicated. But not in the Oh-but-Mary-I-love-him-and-don't-want-to-let-him-go way; more like in the neighborhood of But-Mary-you-don't-understand-he's-such-a-git-but-he's-being-nice-and-I-don't-know-if-I-actually-hate-him-anymore-and-I-have-no-idea-what-that-_means_. And that neighborhood was _trouble_.

"You can tell me anything, Lily," Mary urged. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

Lily shrugged.

"Don't you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"You can't be a recluse forever, Lily," Mary warned. And she was right and Lily knew it. The next day would be January the first and school would resume. Which meant she would either be forced to see Potter _or _she'd have to skip out on nearly all her classes and fail her N.E.W.T.s dismally and be forced to live as a hermit in the Forbidden Forest.

Sort-of.

But before she could go out there (and she knew she'd have to sooner or later), Lily _had _to sort a few things out first.

"Mary?"

"What?"

"Have you noticed James…er…acting a bit…different…lately?"

Mary raised an eyebrow. "You're asking _me_? You're the one who spends so much time with the bloke, Lily."

"I know, I know. Just answer the question," Lily pleaded. She didn't know that it would help, but it could give her some perspective if she knew _how _things have changed.

"I guess," Mary shrugged. "He seems a little…happier, maybe?"

Lily hadn't exactly expected this. "Happier?"

"Well, _Merlin_, Lily, can't you tell? He lights up like a bloody Christmas tree every time you're even _mentioned_."

Lily blushed. Well _that _was hardly new. Potter had always…fancied her.

"Have _I _acted differently?"

Mary surveyed Lily with her head at a tilt. "Lils, what's this all about? Are you…_worried_…or something…?"

"No." Lily looked back up and Mary's eyes pinned her. "Well—er—okay, yes. I'm just trying to figure this all out, Mare."

Mary sighed and went over to sit at the foot of Lily's bed. "Do you like him, Lily? Do you honestly, truly _enjoy _being with him?"

Did she? Did she, honestly, _without _that stupid blackmail, enjoy spending time with James Potter?

"I dunno," she responded quietly.

"Well, _Lily_, if you don't know, then why are you _dating _him?"

_Merlin_. She had never wanted to tell her friend the truth more than she did right then.

"Because I figured I'd just…give him a go," Lily conjured feebly. Sure. Mary'll believe that.

"Well…how is that working out for you? You didn't seem to have a problem a few days ago," Mary said. Well, a few days ago, this was all _pretend_, Mary. Like playing house in kindergarten.

"I _know_. It's just…it's just I dunno if he's _right _for me, you know?"

"Has he ever given you a reason to think he's _not_?"

"_Well_," she began with a snort, remembering how immature Potter and his friends used to be (not that they weren't now, but they still weren't model-student material, for sure).

"Lily…"

"Okay, _fine_," Lily consented. "I suppose not. He's always been fairly decent to me."

"Okay, so what changed?"

"I don't _know_," Lily burst. "That's what I'm trying to figure out! One minute…one minute we _hate _each other, like usual, and the next we're a…a couple! And it just doesn't _go _like that, Mary! I. Am. Supposed. To. _Hate_. Him!"

Mary smiled. "But you _don't_."

"Exactly!"

Lily covered her mouth. She didn't say that. She did _not _just say that she didn't hate James Potter. She couldn't have. Because if _that _was true…then how _did _she feel?

* * *

January passed in a flurry of winter snow with Lily still attempting to decipher her own cryptic feelings. She and Potter were back to being whatever it is they were before the break, but the message from her heart remained as murky and impossible to read as ever.

Of course, now, Lily felt she had an inkling of the why for all the _'no_'s she's dished out over the years. She just didn't want to know what would happen. She was sure it would end badly—somehow, either one or both of them would end up hurt. With a relationship like this one, it was _bound _to happen. There wasn't a happy-ending on the horizon—and if there was, a looming thunderstorm hid it from view. That was all Lily could see: a storm.

So she didn't tempt fate. She would just go along her business and playact with Potter like a good little girl so that he and his friends wouldn't get in trouble and as soon as it was all over, they would go back to their separate social spheres and never cross into each other's world again. The end.

It seemed like a good plan at the time. Brilliant, even. But bugger it all if it wasn't the most impossible thing Lily had ever heard.

She did not hate James Potter. That was, as the detectives in the old black-and-white Muggle films would say, the cold, hard truth, my dear.

So, logically, Lily could only come up with one conclusion: she _liked _Potter. As in, she didn't despise his existence every time it came into contact with her and maybe even sort-of _enjoyed _talking to him about all sorts of random things like school and goals and books (_books!_) and anything else under the bright yellow sun. She even almost liked the way he sounded when he laughed and the way seeing him made her smile—after all, even _she _could not hide the fact that James Potter was a looker. Just _look _at that face! Oh yeah. He was _definitely _easy on the eyes, all right.

The problem was, Lily did not _want _to like Potter more than she ought. On a scale of one to ten, a four was far too much. A red flag ought to fly in the air for that one!

But a three, maybe? Good friends, hanging out on occasion, _that _sort of thing…well…_that _wouldn't be so bad.

But when February swept Hogwarts up in the vomit-worthy frenzy of hormonal imbalances and sickly feelings of the _Valentine _atmosphere, Lily knew exactly why she didn't want to even _embark _on a four.

* * *

"_Skeeter_!"

Rita turned sharply on her heel and then glanced behind her shoulder to be sure no one was watching. Then she crept over to the giant hourglasses outside the Great Hall.

"_What_, Snape?" she demanded.

The sallow-looking Slytherin remained in the shadow of the Hufflepuff glass. "It's been three _months_, Skeeter," he warned, "And still no results."

"I'm getting there," she told him distractedly. Honestly, the only place she wanted to _get _to was the Ravenclaw table to get to her lunch. She'd already had to stay behind in Transfiguration to speak to McGonagall so that she was the _last _one here, and she was bloody starving!

"Not fast enough. You need to try something else."

"Like _what_? You can't just _make _it happen whenever you want, Snape!"

"Tomorrow's Valentine's day," he asserted after a moment. "Just…give me an _opportunity_, Skeeter. And _don't _disappoint me or I'll go to the press myself and you'll lose that precious story of yours."

Rita gritted her teeth. She did _not _like to be at anyone's mercy, least of all greasy, slimy Severus _Snape's_.

But if that was what it would take.

"Fine," she consented. "I'll…think of something."

* * *

It was February 13th. Lily had just gotten out of classes and was heading to the Great Hall for dinner with Mary on her left and Alice on her right. The three amigos—forever and always!

Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Oh, wait—" Alice stopped. "I think I left my book in the classroom."

"That's okay," Lily said. "We'll come with you real quick to get it."

"But _guys_," Mary said, "What if there aren't seats by the time we get there!"

"Oh, please," Alice remarked as she led the way back to their Charms classroom. "We'll get a seat, Mary. James or Frank will save us some, I'm sure."

"Besides," Lily added as they rounded the corner back to the hall where Flitwick's classroom was, "It'll only take you a minute, right, Alice?"

"Right," Alice replied, coming up to the door and reaching out to the handle. She swung the door open while Lily and Mary leaned against the wall to wait and then gasped aloud.

"What's—" Lily turned to see what the problem was and inside the dark classroom spotted Veronica Smethley glued to a physique that looked very familiarly like James Potter's.

"—wrong…"

* * *

This was _good_, Rita thought as she was tucked away in her hiding spot in Flitwick's classroom, front row for the big show. Her plan was working out brilliantly. Not _only _did Evans just happen to personally _see _it so that Rita wouldn't have to trust her photos to prove the damage _but _she got to see the look on her face for herself.

And boy. Was it _good_.

Evans didn't start yelling or cursing or anything like Rita would've expected—she just took one look at Smethley and Potter and ran for it. Her friends of course went after her, probably to wipe up the tears of poor little _Lily Evans _after her _perfect "boyfriend" _was caught cheating.

Oh, Rita. You've outdone yourself, she thought wryly. This time, her plan really _was _genius.

And then of course there was Potter calling after the wee Mudblood. He ran right out after her. _"Oh, Lily! Oh, Lily, I didn't do it! I didn't mean it, Lily! Oh, Liiilllyyy!" _

Oh, give it a _rest_, Potter! Like a whiney little love-sick _puppy_, she thought.

And, of course, Rita got it _all _on camera. She could see the headlines of tomorrow's paper now! _Storm of the Century Rains On Evans's Parade._

It was _gold_.

* * *

"Did you do this?"

"Do what?" Rita looked up innocently enough from where she sat in Professor Eardley's office, hastily working out her story for the next morning's _Herald_.

"You know bloody well _what_," Snape snapped. "I happened to see Lily _running _back to Gryffindor tower not too long ago, looking like somebody'd just _died_! Did you _hurt _her?"

"Only her pride," Rita smirked. "And newspaper staff in here _only_, Snape."

"I'm not leaving until you answer my question."

Rita swiveled her chair around and glanced up at his furious face with a sigh. "_Fine_. Yes, I might have charred her feelings a little. But so _what_? Now she thinks Potter's a lying pig! You have your chance! The one you _threatened _me for at lunch today, remember?"

Snape's eyes narrowed. "I did _not _say to hurt her."

Rita shrugged and went back to work on her story. "You don't always get what you want. But you _might _get Miss Lily Evans if you take this to your advantage," she challenged.

* * *

"No."

"Why _not_?"

"She doesn't want to see you right now," Alice shot coldly.

James rolled his eyes. "Can you _please _just ask her to come down here so I can explain?"

Alice glanced over at Mary, who stood on the other side of the girls' staircase. "I think we understand _just _fine, right Mare?"

"Absolutely," she ground out. "Now, get _away _and leave her alone or I'll hex you into smithereens, _Potter_."

Defeated, James stepped away from the staircase to meander up to his own dormitory. There, he found Sirius and Remus.

"What happened?" Sirius demanded. "You look like hell."

James shot him a dirty look. "'m fine," he grunted, going for his four-poster.

"You don't look fine," Remus observed.

"I _am_."

Remus disappeared behind his book again. "Is it Lily?"

James didn't bother to reply.

"So it _is_," Sirius muttered darkly.

"Don't sound so cheerful, Padfoot," Remus shot. "James is our _friend_ after all."

"He's also in this room," James interjected.

With a sigh, Remus put his book on his bed and sat up. "Okay, that's it, tell us what happened."

* * *

A tap on her window caught Lily's attention and she put away her book and went over to open it. It was late—Mary and Alice were both already asleep, but Lily couldn't get herself to go to bed just yet—and she couldn't help wondering who on earth would be owling her this late. It was a barn owl—one of the school's—and Lily hoped to _Merlin_ that it wasn't from Potter.

Fortunately, she got her wish. Once Lily unrolled the scroll, she read a small note in curly handwriting that said: _He didn't do it_. And then underneath that, a signature from a _Silent Sue_.

Lily stared at it. What a load of rubbish. As if she didn't have _enough _to deal with. Now some idiot thinks it's _hilarious _to kick her while she's down. Furious, she stomped across the dormitory and threw the note in the wastebasket.

It wasn't that she was _hurt _or anything, either. It was simply the fact that they _dishonored _her favorite classroom. Psh. _Why _would Lily ever care if Potter and Smethley wanted to snog? It wasn't any of _her _concern who Potter met lips with. No, sir, none at all.

Lily huffed, walking across the room and caught sight of her face in the mirror. Her hair was ruffled from jumping onto her bed and her eyes looked blotchy—she may have shed a small, tiny, _minuscule_ tear. Just one. That was it.

Oh, who was she kidding? Lily looked just like Mary after she broke up with Reggie for the second time (apparently it had been _extremely _over that time).

"You liar," she accused Mirror Lily blandly. "You _care_."

And then she felt the sliding of a tear down her cheek and reached a finger up to brush it away. So did Mirror Lily.

She looked away and bit her lip—_she _was the one who cared. Potter didn't give a rat's tail about her feelings, obviously. The whole time he'd just…she didn't even know. Maybe the _chase _of it all was what had him fueled over the years. That was all. She was just a chase.

"I hate him," she mumbled to herself, squeezing a pillow into her chest like an airbag. But airbags didn't protect your heart. Not really. "I hate him _so _much."

Another tap on the window.

_Merlin, _what is _with _all these blasted owls?

Lily decided she wouldn't answer it. It could come back in the morning.

_Tap, tap_.

"_Fine!_" After all, it wasn't the _owl's_ fault, she supposed. It was the idiot whose bidding the owl was doing.

Lily pulled back the curtains again and, peevishly, found no owl outside. In fact, there was _nothing _out there. Perhaps it was sitting on a ledge to wait? She unlatched the window to see.

And as soon as she did, some egotistical _moron _came sauntering towards the window with his broomstick in hand. Lily immediately went to shut the window again, but the _extremely _unwelcome intruder kept it open and climbed through.

"Get out," she ordered. "Get out _now _or I'm going to McGonagall. I don't care _how _much she loves you—you're in violation of one of the strictest rules and I will_ not_—"

"You don't care about the _rules_," he hissed, attempting to make a grab for her shoulder and pull her away from the window.

"Of course I do," Lily shot. "Don't tell me what I _care _about!"

"_Ssssh_!" Potter warned, holding a finger to his lips and looking anxiously at the other girls. "Don't _wake _them!"

"Oh no, I'll _wake _them all right." Lily wrenched herself out of his grip and stomped over to Alice's bed and threw the hangings open. "ALLLIIICCEEEE!"

Alice nearly jumped out of her bed in surprise, swinging a fist out. Finally she caught on that nobody was dying or anything (not yet, at least) and squinted through the dark at her. "Bloody hell, _what_, Lily?" Mary also awoke, joining in the protests with a tired, "_Merlin!_"

"Get _that _out of our room."

"_James_?" Alice hopped out of bed. "What are you _doing _here?"

"I came to apologize," he said. "Lily—please, can we just—"

"Nope, nope, my schedule's _booked_."

"_Lily_—"

"Save it." She turned away, resolutely staring at a piece of the wall that had "chipped off" back in third year (Mary's fault).

He sighed—_Merlin, _she wanted to tell him to shut up, but thought better of it because telling somebody who sighed to shut up…well, that just makes you look stupid. And like a prude.

"Alice, Mary, can you _please _just let me talk to her? Alone?"

Silence.

Uh, hello? This is where they defend her honor!

"I guess," Mary consented in a small voice.

Lily whipped around. "_What_? No!"

Mary and Alice paused at the door. "What's wrong?"

"Don't leave me with _him_!" she demanded. "You saw what he did!"

"Well, he wants to _apologize_," Alice shrugged. And before Lily could argue, she and Mary both scurried out of the door like mice. And she was left alone.

With _it_.

"Lily…"

"Shut up," she snapped. "Just because they left me does _not _mean I have to talk to you."

"I'm sorry!"

"I don't care."

He sighed again (Lily inwardly cursed that stupid puff of air for all it was worth). "What will it take to make you believe that I am _sorry_? I didn't mean to…upset you."

"Of course not!" Lily replied mockingly. "Because all girls _love _to see the significant other that they are "fake dating" go and snog somebody else!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I don't believe you."

"Lily…"

She kicked him. _Hard_.

"OW."

"Sor-_ry_," she mocked. "Does that make it all better now?" she asked in a sugary-sweet voice.

"I don't know what else you want me to do," he said quietly, bending to rub his shin. "I didn't want to kiss her, Lily. She came onto _me_, I swear."

Fuming, Lily decided not to grace him with a reply and turned her back, staring at that crack again.

"What can I do?"

"Do you really want to know?" she asked, turning around.

"_Yes_," he replied, quickly walking the few steps back to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Again.

Lily shook it off. "You can start by leaving me _alone_. I get that this is all a game, that we're only pretending so Skeeter doesn't snitch on you guys. But _don't_ spend six effing years trying to 'win me over' or whatever, constantly professing your _love _for me, and then go and pull something like _this_." Shaking with anger, Lily glared right into his eyes, determined to break them and ground them into _dust_. She wanted to punch him. She wanted to _so _badly. But she knew it would probably hurt herself more than him, to be honest.

"Lily, I _never _pretended," he said quietly, reaching out to her.

Lily stepped away. "Don't touch me! Don't _ever _touch me."

Potter pulled his hand back as though he'd touched a boiling cauldron and was surprised to find it hot at all. "Lily, I _like _you. So much. More than you'll ever know. I was _never _pretending with you."

She had nothing to say. A part of her wanted to believe him—the part that also couldn't stand to hate him. But the _other _part, that part wanted him gone, out of her life, for _good_. So he couldn't hurt her again.

"You hurt me," she accused.

"I know."

"I can't believe you hurt me," she said in a small, vulnerable voice as she sat down on her bed.

"I had no idea you were so attached," he replied, smirking—_smirking_, in a situation like this! "It's somewhat flattering."

But Lily didn't get mad—even though she wanted to. She _laughed_. That stupid smirk, that stupid humor of his showing. Yeah. She laughed—thank _Merlin_, too, because it lifted so much misery off of her.

"Me neither," she remarked quietly.

Potter sat down next to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. I _never _want to hurt you."

"I know."

"I'm sorry about everything. If we ever ended up…together…I wanted it to be of your own accord. Not like this. _Certainly _not like this…" he muttered, mostly to himself.

Lily, not wanting to have to respond to that, glanced at him and swallowed a lump in her throat. The conversation had come to something of a dead end. No going back. But _Merlin_ she did _not _want to go forward, either.

Potter took her silence as a hint. "I'll leave you alone now," he told her, standing up. Lily watched him go, still not saying anything—what could she say?

"Goodnight, Lily," he said before climbing out her window.

"Goodnight," she whispered back, after it was shut again, and then went to open the door to let Alice and Mary back in. And, of course, they fell right through because, of _course_, they'd probably been listening in. Nice to know a girl can have her secrets.

"Why didn't you lot save me?" she asked them, not desiring at _all _to discuss what had just happened.

Playing along, Alice shrugged and Mary replied, "He climbed up a tower for you. That's got to mean _something_."

"He flew! It doesn't even count!"

But, as always, even she didn't agree with herself.

* * *

**A/N:** Quick update this time! I just felt the urge to write for some reason - hope you guys liked it.

Also, my friend, **ElvesWizardsCentaursOhmy**, took it upon herself to make a delightful poster for **Chapter Five: Quills and Soul Mates**. Unfortunately, I have forgotten to post this little note _every _chapter since then, but I'm finally getting around to it. Anyways, check it out at this link: http : / s680 .photobucket .com /albums /vv162 /crazyelf22 /action =view ¤t =Motivational Quill Poster. jpg&newest =1. It shan't take much of your time and it's a laugh. At least, I thought it was. :)

(P.S. If the link doesn't work for whatever reason, I'm going to put a hyperlink on my profile page that will hopefully be up by the time you all read this.)

Until next time, then, my dears! Thanks ever so much for reading. ;D


	9. A Kiss for Valentine's Day

**Chapter Nine: A Kiss for Valentine's Day**

* * *

Ugh. Lily woke up to the smell of _love _in the air.

Actually, it was just Mary's new perfume.

"Mare, do you _have _to suffocate us? I know Valentine's painful enough for us all, but _really_," Lily complained, pulling her pillow over her face.

"I have a date tonight!" she informed, as if that made the situation oh-so-much more _breathable_.

"With who?" Alice asked as she came out of the bathroom. Then, coughing, "_Sheesh_. Better be the best bloke on the entire _planet_."

"He _is_," Mary gushed. Lily could picture her hugging her perfume bottle, looking all googly-eyed.

Oh bugger.

And she would have to attempt to go through all her lessons today, listening to Mary's rants about love and the perfect man… Oh, Merlin help her…

"Can't be," Alice remarked cheekily. "Frank and I have a Valentine's get together planned for tonight."

"Ha, ha, Alice," Mary replied, rolling her eyes amiably. "He just so happens to be a Mister Culverton _Gray_."

"Ooooh, fancy."

Lily suddenly couldn't breathe much anymore. All the good oxygen under the safety of her pillow had fled and she was forced to admit defeat. "Is it safe?" she asked, coming out.

"Barely," Alice replied with a sly grin.

Mary rolled her eyes. "It isn't _that _strong," she protested, though Lily detected a flicker of worry in her eyes.

"It's fine, Mare. You know we're just poking fun at you," Lily assured her good-naturedly as she got out of bed. "Why do you need to put that stuff on if your date is _tonight_, anyways?"

"Our first class is with the Ravenclaws, Lily!"

"Oh, of _course_," Lily feigned. "How could I ever forget—dear Culverton will be there!"

Mary rolled her eyes again and turned to work on her hair some more. Lily chuckled and loped to the bathroom for a quick shower before they set off for Charms.

Luckily, the day passed by rather quickly, ending with Lily's favorite subject: Potions. She, Mary, and Alice all entered the classroom together and Mary and Lily chose seats at their usual table. Alice had lately been partnering with Frank and went off to join him two tables over. Among the rest of the hoard of students spilling in the doors were the infamous Marauder foursome, one of which abandoned his fellows and made a beeline for Lily and Mary.

"Mary," Potter asked, "Would you mind too terribly much if I wanted to partner Lily today?"

Lily winced at the idea after the rather _awkward _conversation she'd had with him the night before. She wasn't particularly keen on the idea of spending time with him after that. "Sorry, but I promised Mary that I'd—" she began. But, luckily, she didn't have to finish her excuse because Mary herself intervened. However, _unluckily_, her friend's response wasn't exactly what Lily had been wanting to hear: "Sure, James," Mary told him with a sly grin in Lily's direction as she picked up her stuff and moved to sit with Black, who'd obviously become partnerless after Potter left their crew and hadn't bothered to find himself a new one.

Lily watched Mary go and then turned her head back around, finding, to her brief surprise, Potter already sitting in the recently vacated seat, staring at her with the biggest grin on his face.

Smooth. Just suave, he is.

"What?" she demanded, feeling more than a little violated by his stare.

"Oh, _nothing_," he replied, though his grin didn't fade one bit. It reminded her of a clown she'd once seen at a circus when she and Petunia were young. Unfortunately, they had to leave early because Petunia had gotten scared and started throwing a tantrum so Lily never _did _get to find out whether Marty could actually cannonball himself across the tent and land on the target. Alas.

"Today, class," the booming voice of their overlarge and good-natured teacher, Professor Slughorn addressed them then, "We'll be having a bit of a fun lesson and mixing up some Amortentia!"

Woo-hoo. A _love _potion for Valentine's Day. How creative, Lily thought wryly. But she couldn't complain. She'd never made Amortentia before and it _could _be interesting. Maybe.

Slughorn looked around the room, but apparently didn't gather the reaction he'd hoped for, and cleared his throat before continuing. "Now, as you all know, this potion creates a very strong influence over the feelings of the drinker, causing them to become almost instantly infatuated—you have nothing to worry about, however," he said, pausing here to chuckle, "We will not be testing these potions ourselves. This is merely a time to see how far you all have come in your studies. The ingredients and procedure to make the potion can be found on page four hundred and twenty-seven of your books. I see you all have already divided into pairs, so get started! You have one hour!"

Lily heaved her book on the table and flipped through until she found the page Slughorn had told them to refer to. "We'll need Ashwinder eggs from the student cupboard," she noted aloud, scanning the list of ingredients. "And powdered Romanian Longhorn horn…and…_and_…we should have everything else," Lily finished, re-checking just to be sure. "Yep," she confirmed, and Potter stood up, saying that he'd be right back with the eggs and powdered horn.

Glancing at the list, Lily assembled all the other ingredients on their desk and started a flame under her cauldron. Potter returned just as she was pouring in their first ingredient, Bundimum secretion.

"Chop those up, will you?" she asked him, nodding at the eggs, while she maintained her stirring the secretion into a "smooth blend."

The assignment did not go quite as horribly as Lily imagined it would. They worked well together, her and Potter. He was attentive and helpful, which surprised Lily after all the years she'd watched him and Black goof off over their own potions.

By the time fifty minutes of their hour had elapsed, Slughorn began going around to the different pairs and looking in on their products. When he came by their table, his round face gave Lily his usual smile. "You never cease to amaze me, Miss Evans!" he remarked jovially. "Top marks, my dear, top marks…"

"Did you hear that?" Lily asked delightedly, spinning in her seat to face Potter. "Top marks!"

"Why are you so surprised?" he asked her with a raised brow as he began to pack up his things. "You _always _get top marks."

Lily shrugged. "It was a difficult potion to make," she said, though this was not altogether true. While it _was _on a general scale fairly difficult, she had had no qualms with it whatsoever. But, she had to admit, part of that was thanks to her partner, for Potter had surprisingly risen to the challenge very well.

They both hurriedly packed their things and Lily looked at the potion. She almost didn't want to Vanish it, it looked so wonderful and the _smell_. The smell was utterly intoxicating—but, of course, that was much of the point.

"So," she began, turning towards Potter. "What do _you _smell?"

"Me?" He leaned over the table and gingerly sniffed the potion's aroma. "I smell… Lilies." And then he looked back at her and grinned.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up."

"You asked!" he protested, grinning. "I'm serious; I smell Lily flowers."

"Yeah, okay," Lily replied, grinning as she turned away.

"What do _you _smell?" he countered, raising an amused eyebrow.

"Soap," she replied automatically. "Nice, fresh, clean _soap_."

"Can't be attracted to Sirius then," Potter remarked with a coy smirk. Lily giggled.

Overhead, the bell rang, and everybody around them immediately shuffled to their feet, the din almost exploding from whispers to full-fledged conversations and exclamations in a matter of seconds.

Lily got up to head for the Great Hall and found Potter following behind her. Apparently last night hadn't happened. It was like it was all a dream or something that she'd simply imagined. Things were back to normal. Or as close to normal as Lily figured she'd get regarding James Potter.

But, nevertheless, it was better than making too big a deal about the previous night's events. At least he wasn't going around claiming that she was in _love _with him or some tosh like that. He probably knew she'd can his arse if he did.

"Oi, James!"

Lily and Potter both turned around to the source of the call. A slightly disgruntled looking Sirius Black was standing in the hall with Pettigrew and Lupin, obviously waiting for Potter to go join them.

"Hey, save me a seat, will you?" Potter asked her.

"Sure," she replied, nodding, before they parted ways and she continued among the throng of students. She hadn't gotten far when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Expecting Potter, she turned, saying, "I didn't expect you back so—" She stopped, catching sight of the owner of the tapping hand, and then scowled. "Oh. It's _you_."

"Can you just listen to me?" he asked, stepping into stride with her, though Lily tried her utmost to lose him by zigzagging this way and that. "_Lily!_" he exclaimed, thrusting his hand around hers and halting her in her tracks.

"Leave me alone, Snape," she spat. "I _told _you how things were. We can't be friends anymore and that's _that_."

"I know we can't be friends," he replied. "We were _never _just friends, Lily."

Lily stared at him, puzzled by this notion, for Snape had always been the one who clung to their friendship after Lily had dismantled it for the last time back in their fifth year. So why was he denying it now?

"We can't be friends anymore, Lily," he repeated, "Because I'm…I'm in love with you."

Oh. _Gross_.

"No you're not!" she retorted at once, pulling her arm back to her side.

"I _am_," he insisted, creeping forward again and grabbing onto her hands. Lily winced and looked around nervously, noting that several groups of students had stopped to watch.

"Let go of me," she demanded weakly, looking at them all looking back at her. Oh this was horrible! And just when she'd thought the day wasn't going so badly after all…

But what happened next was even _worse_. Perhaps the very worst thing that had ever happened to Lily in all her years of Hogwarts. Combined.

Severus Snape kissed her.

Right on the mouth! He just went ahead and _kissed her_. She wanted to upchuck on reflex.

And then, if that hadn't made matters bad enough, somehow, the next thing was what _really _did it in for Lily. If it hadn't happened, she would've merely ran to her dormitory, brushed her teeth until her gums bled, gulped down some mouthwash, and gone immediately into anti-trauma mode, reading and eating chocolate until she couldn't even remember who Severus Snape was.

But that didn't happen. Instead, Lily pulled away from Snape as hard as she could and the moment her eyes looked up, there was James Potter standing down the corridor, looking like somebody had just punched him in the gut.

She shouldn't feel bad. Lily had been thinking about it and she came up with several reasons why she should not feel like this:

1) Snape was an evil git and it was _all his fault_.

2) Potter was a git, so why should it matter that she may or may not have upset him? (Especially since she might not have! He probably just wasn't at dinner because he…wasn't hungry.)

3) He didn't really _love _her anyways. He just kept saying that so maybe she would believe him and then he'd just toss her aside and she'd end up hurt and broken. Yeah. So she _definitely _shouldn't feel sorry for Potter.

That was where the list stopped. She didn't have much more to go on, but three reasons were pretty good, if she said so herself!

But they apparently did not make a hoot of a difference to the pit of her stomach, where all the worry and turmoil had taken residence.

"I'm not hungry," she told Mary and Alice abruptly. Neither of them attempted to argue with her. They both knew all about what had happened and Lily couldn't help but wonder who _they _blamed. Without another word, she swung her bag around her shoulder and left the Great Hall.

There was no doubting it. She felt like crap. As soon as Lily left the Great Hall, where many students had been watching her even after the big scene, she felt like crying. But she wouldn't. Who the hell _cries _after they've hurt somebody they don't even _like? _She didn't quite know what the deal was. Maybe she was just so good of a person that even if, say, she'd hurt You-Know-Who's feelings, she'd go off and bake him cookies.

Eh. Never mind. Not a great analogy, comparing James Potter, the epitome of goodness, according to half of Hogwart's population, to the darkest mind in wizardry _ever_.

Maybe it would pass…maybe it would—Oh? What's this?

Lily had just opened the door to her dormitory, but stopped short when she saw a parcel on her bed.

"Better not be from Snape," she muttered darkly, wrinkling her nose at the object as she dropped her bag and walked over to it.

And it wasn't, thank Merlin.

Who it _was _from, though, was almost worse. The tag read _For Lily, from James. Happy Valentine's Day. _That was it. No cheesy come-ons, or _Will you be my Valentine?_ lines. Just, a _Happy Valentine's Day_.

Wow. Now she felt like mega-crap.

Resisting the stronger-growing urge to let out a few tears, Lily opened the package. Inside was a locket that she instantly recognized as the very same that she'd been admiring at Hogsmeade several weeks previously. Beside it, on the tissue paper (_tissue paper! _What kind of teenage boy includes _tissue paper_?) sat a note that told her to '_open me_.'

She did. The small, heart-shaped trinket opened with a _click _and inside was a small photo that Lily remembered getting taken during a January trip to Hogsmeade. In it were her, Potter, Alice, Frank, and Mary. Frank had his arm around Alice, both beaming, Mary had her hands on her hips, smiling and looking as carefree as ever, and Lily and Potter were at the end, on Mary's other side. Lily was grinning the same old grin she saw in every one of her pictures. Potter, on the other hand, was looking at her instead of at the camera, and he had the most delighted look on his face that she had ever seen. Like the same smile Lily's dad had in his and her mom's wedding pictures. And the same smile that just about every guy had when (_gulp_) he was love struck.

Maybe it wouldn't pass after all.

Lily woke up with _such _a pain in her stomach. Wincing, she rolled over and glanced at her clock, which read back _two forty-three_. In the bloody _morning_.

"_Ugggh_." She was dead hungry. Worse than that. She would _kill _for some food just then.

"Well," Lily mumbled to herself as she sat right side up, "Only insane, homicidal lunatics are likely to be awake at this time of day so I should be all right for a trip to the kitchens."

And so she put on her fluffy, warm robe and her slippers and then set off down the stairs, through the common room and out into the wilderness of the Hogwarts halls.

Strange, they looked so _odd _at night. She guessed it was the lack of the usual hoards of morons and idiots and Marauders and the all-of-the-above's (cough, Potter. Black) that did it. Maybe she'd catch a couple in a broom closet nearby. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about the whole thing possibly being a mirage.

But it was really nice, walking in the castle at night. She could finally, for once, admire the décor without somebody's head or hair getting in the way.

Finally she made it to a large portrait of a fruit bowl. It was practically an accident, how she and her friends had come across it in their fifth year, but it proved _very _useful for days like this when they had, for whatever reason, skipped dinner and regretted it hours later. Or if they just felt like a snack. Or chocolate. Chocolate was good.

At any rate, Lily was thinking of all these good things as she lifted a finger and tickled the pear to gain admittance. However, she was _not _thinking of the person who she discovered on the other side when the portrait swung open.

Okay. So maybe she was. A little. But it wasn't her fault! He was just so…_intriguing_. Sort of.

"Oh," was how well articulately Lily put her reaction when she spotted him, sitting at a table inside. "Well, I'll just…er…I'll just…go, then…" Because, even when you're starving your guts out, you must be polite to those whose hearts you might have bashed out earlier that day (or the previous day, if you're wandering about at obscene hours in the early morning) and leave them be if that's what they want (and it sure _looked _like he didn't want company). It was a common courtesy thing.

But instead of turning around, (she didn't _actually _want to just leave, after all. Screw common courtesy) Lily stayed in her spot, watching him anxiously for a reaction.

"Would you like some hot chocolate?"

Monotone.

Lily had never heard him speak. In _monotone_.

"Sure," she replied. The 'chocolate' part got to her, she had to admit. Plus she didn't really plan on leaving without _some _form of sustenance. Timidly, and horribly aware of the somewhat embarrassing nightgown under her robe, Lily sauntered in and took the seat next to the one that Potter quickly vacated. As if he'd die if she got too close—which she couldn't argue with. He _did _tend to get hurt around her.

So, listening to Potter make her some hot chocolate, Lily was left to decide how to make "_I'm sorry_," sound non-hypocritical after her display the previous night (night before previous night? Oh hell, she didn't even care anymore) during which she mocked _his _apologies. And then she actually had to make him _believe _her, because, honestly, while Lily _did _have reason to believe him (for one thing, whatever anyone says, Smethley is a skank. She just is, okay? And for another, she was starting to get the feeling that this whole 'you mean a lot to me' deal wasn't just the usual lie some bloke told a girl so he could get into her pants. Somehow, she knew he meant it. Or perhaps that was simply a dash of foolish hope on her part), Potter had zip reason to believe that she felt bad for breaking his heart. On account of the fact that she has all but ripped it right out of his body with her bare fingers, stomped on it 'till it oozed, and then fed it to a Hippogriff in the past six years.

So, to say that Lily felt _down _was an understatement. She had never felt more _wretched _for doing something mean to someone. Even after all the fights that she'd had with Petunia over the years, she had never, _ever_, absolutely wanted to just explode rather than seeing the look of disappointment on the face of someone she hurt. It was like grieving the loss of a friend. Something you could not get over and that you beat yourself up over _all the bloody time_ (because even in the cases when it _wasn't _your fault, you figure it was. Even if the Knight Bus ran them over in cold blood and you were a billion miles away at the time. _Oh, if only I'd done…_dot dot dot. If, if, if).

"Here." Unbeknownst to her until his voice snapped her rant in two and his hand pushed a steaming mug in her hand, Potter had returned with her hot chocolate.

"Thanks."

Silence. That was the extent of their conversation a minute and a half in (but she was rounding up, so maybe there was still hope). Lily took a sip of her hot chocolate and looked around the spotless kitchen, as if hoping the right words might suddenly appear on a motivational billboard behind his head.

_Nice night_, her restless brain could not help but think. Fah, she wanted to tell it. Nice night her arse.

Lily had almost drained her hot chocolate and was now searching for a way to stay. Because she couldn't just _leave_. She had to do _something _to make up for earlier.

"Thank you," she blurted, the product of a few seconds of thought.

"You already said that." Monotone, monotone, _monotone_.

"I don't mean for the drink," she replied quietly, staring. Maybe he'll look up. That's what happens to her. Somebody stares and somehow she _feels _it and looks up and catches them. It's almost like a sixth sense.

Apparently Potter was only five of six for the senses. Or he was just ignoring her (three guesses which was more likely).

"I saw the Valentine," she continued—why not? It wasn't like she had anything to lose at this point. "I loved it," she added in an undertone, blushing at the thought that this wasn't even a lie. And then wondering _why _that realization would make her blush.

He almost seemed surprised, with that monotone, straight face of his. Almost.

Lily got brave all of a sudden and reached her hand across the table to touch his. "I'm sorry, you know," she told him. "Sorry about Snape. I know that this probably doesn't mean much considering yesterday…" She stopped. Lily did _not _want to go up that avenue. "Just…sorry. I know it upset you, what he did, and I am _truly _sorry for that. I didn't want it to happen. _He _kissed _me_. And I sure as hell didn't want him to."

She stopped. It wouldn't do to keep on and _on_. She said her piece. Now she'd have to wait for him.

But when he did "say" his piece, it was like a blow to the stomach: Potter removed his hand from hers, slipping it under the table, and mumbled, "I'm not upset," all without taking a single glance at her.

She didn't believe him, though. His feelings were written all over his face.

But what's a girl to do? Get down on her knees and _beg_? Not in this lifetime. Or the next. Lily was by no means proud of having the power to hurt someone so badly—she recalled the stint of jealousy she'd felt the day before and _certainly _sympathized—but she was not going to salvage her self-respect or dignity or whatever else you might call it for a boy. Not even a boy named James Potter, who could be sweet and funny and nice. She would not do it.

But. She wouldn't let him go on feeling this way without the truth. And the truth was, James Potter was growing her. So that's why (and perhaps the hot chocolate had something to do with it, too), she backtracked away from the door at the last minute and bent down to kiss his cheek before leaving as fast as her legs could carry her.

* * *

**A/N: **Another chapter! :D I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know I'm playing up the romance aspects of this story a LOT, but it's necessary—for now. The next few (I plan for four more chapters) are going to get more into Rita and Snape's scheme and the Marauders' secret. As always, thanks so much for reading!


	10. Curious and Curiouser

**Chapter Ten: Curious and Curiouser**

* * *

"Oi, Padfoot! WAKE UP!"

_Thwack!_

The pillow slid off of the blanketed lump under which Sirius had previously been snoring and fell to the floor.

Absolutely effing wonderful.

It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't been up _all bloody night _in Skeeter's dormitory only to rifle through her knickers drawer and find…well…knickers. Just buggering, lacy _knickers_!

"Was that really necessary?"

"Of course it was, Remus. What kind of question is that?"

Yawning, Sirius sat up and shook off the covers of his four-poster to see James and Remus standing at the foot of his bed.

"Breakfast, mate," James insisted, grinning broadly and jabbing a thumb towards the door.

Sirius squinted at his brightly lit surroundings, contemplating whether or not it would be worth it to simply clobber them and then sleep some more.

But, then again, he _was _hungry.

So, rolling his eyes in exhaustion, Sirius—partially because he was simply too lazy to argue—slid off his bed and went to his trunk to find a fresh (or as close to fresh as he could find—he wasn't bothered, really. If a girl got close enough to smell his knickers, he had other means of keeping her around) pair of pants.

"What's 'ot you in sush a grea' mood, anyways?" Sirius asked, yawning, as he followed up by pulling a clean shirt over his head. He cocked an eyebrow at his best friend before grabbing his wand and sticking it in his pocket. James just stood there grinning like an idiot.

"I've been wondering the same thing," Remus added, joining Sirius in giving James The Look.

And, as surely as Sirius knew his mother would one day rot in the flaming pits of hell, James _giggled_.

Sirius didn't even know males were _capable _of such an activity. It was like…l—like women playing _Quidditch_. The world just did _not _work that way. _Ever!_

(Well, okay, he _did _know some pretty cool chicks who played Quidditch, like McKinnon, but _still_!)

Sirius glanced at Remus and was reassured when he saw he wasn't the only one who caught the sound and was worried.

"Er…James?"

James's grin grew broader and broader until he giggled—_again_!—and he was obviously far too excited to keep his secret under wraps much longer.

"Out with it, man!" Sirius probed, pushing James down the last few steps to the Common Room.

"_Sssssh_!" James advised, grinning nonetheless, as he glanced around to make sure they were alone. Then he turned back to Sirius and Remus.

"_Lily!_" he finally burst.

As though that profoundly explained all.

But somehow, when it came to James, it _did_.

"Yes, we know Lily, the red-headed broad whose pants you one day see yourself happily in. What 'bout her, Prongs?"

"I think she's finally starting to really like me," he sighed dreamily before walking right into a wall. The bloke was so screwy in the head that he hadn't even bothered to reprimand Sirius for practically insulting the "love of his life"! Now he _knew_ something funny was going on with James.

"Careful, there, Prongs," Remus patiently advised, steadying the poor star-crossed lover.

"Oh, obviously," said Sirius. "Nothing says 'I love you' like a right whack in the gut. Or groin, depending upon your perspective. I don't suppose you recall yesterday's events? You know, when she snogged that slimy _git _right in front of your face?"

"Ah, but Sirius! Last _night _came _after_ yester_day_," James said, wagging a finger as he purposefully strode towards the doors leading to the Great Hall.

"Aren't they the same thing?" Remus whispered, watching James worriedly.

"'Course," Sirius replied, "He's just bonkers and doesn't know the difference. Bit sad, really. Poor bloke. He had such _potential_…"

"Yes, indeed," murmured his companion with a sigh. "Love doth make fools of us all, my friend."

"Damn that insatiable love," agreed Sirius.

"—and then she _kissed _me!" the loony one whispered fervently as they walked down the aisle towards Gryffindor table, where Peter was saving them seats.

Sirius tripped and fell flat on his stomach. "_What_?" came his muffled exclamation of surprise.

James and Remus both stopped. The former raised an eyebrow for a fraction of a second before a certain brilliant, fiery female encompassed his attention and he ran over to the table, scoring himself a prime seat opposite the vivacious Lily, while the latter watched Sirius with dismay.

"You really ought to watch your feet, you know. This could have _easily _been avoided."

"Oh, shut it," Sirius muttered, bringing himself to his feet again. "Did I hear him right? He said Evans _kissed _him?"

"Apparently."

"She's _mental_!"

"So encouraging of your best friend… Really, Sirius, you ought to give him pep talks daily."

"Oi, I would be a _great _motivational speaker!"

"In a brothel," Remus scoffed.

"That—! …Is most likely true," Sirius admitted. "But I'm _proud _of it, dammit!" And with that, he sat down beside Peter and triumphantly pulled over a platter of bacon and started piling some on his plate.

"Hey, Padfoot, you might want to take a look at this," Peter said, hushed, as he slipped over a piece of parchment after he was sure no one but the two of them and Remus were paying attention.

"Wha' is it?" Sirius asked through a mouthful of food. He wiped his hands on his jeans and pulled the note over. It read: _Skeeter's working with somebody and, from what I understand, they know something about her that she doesn't want spilled. If you guys find out what it is, I bet my last Galleon that you can get yourselves and your mate out of this mess. _And then underneath the message was Sue's curling signature.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Interesting," he commented once he'd swallowed his mouthful of food. "I _knew _there must be _something _on that bird!"

"But, Sirius," Peter said, "How are we going to figure out what it is? Skeeter must have hidden it pretty well if we haven't found anything yet. We've looked _everywhere_, even her dormitory! And we've still come up short."

"Wait, _wait_," Remus said, leaning over the table to whisper to them after he'd snatched the note and quickly read it. "What's going on? And who's '_Silent Sue'_?"

"Some chickadee who thinks she can help us," Sirius replied. "But she's been somewhat helpful so far, so…maybe there _is _something out there that we haven't found yet."

Remus looked thoughtful for a moment and then glanced down the table where Lily sat with Mary and Alice. "Perhaps you're just not looking in the right places," he suggested.

* * *

After they finished eating their fill, Lily and Mary stood to leave for their first class of the day, Ancient Runes, and found Sirius, Peter, and Remus automatically swooping in to block their exit.

"Er…morning, gents," Mary greeted, looking them over. "… What do you want?"

"We have a question for you," Peter said. "About Skeeter."

"Oh _Merlin_," Lily sighed, rolling her eyes.

"We just want to know if you two know anything about her that she'd be inclined to hide," continued Peter. "It's _very _important," he added, giving Lily a look, to which she returned an eye roll.

But she racked her brains for anything that might help and, unsurprisingly, came up with a big, fat, clump of nothing. She honestly didn't know Skeeter that well, except for the part about her being the biggest hag of the 7th years. Besides, didn't they know that she would've told them anything she knew already?

"Well, I haven't got a clue," Mary replied. "I don't exactly look into _Skeeter _much…"

The three blokes turned their attention to Lily who looked absently back before finally giving them a feeble shrug. Peter and Sirius exchanged glances and then Sirius looked back at Lily, saying, "Can we talk to you in _private_?" And before she gave her consent, he and the other two eased her away from Mary and the others.

"_What_? I don't _know _anything about Skeeter, okay!"

"Are you _sure_?" Peter asked.

"Yes!"

Sirius sighed and pulled the note out of his back jeans pocket, thrusting it into Lily's hands. "Read that."

She did and quickly realized that she'd seen this penmanship somewhere before. More than that, the alias 'Silent Sue' was familiar as well.

"What is this?"

"A note," Remus replied. "From an anonymous source that seems to think Skeeter has something to hide and that we can use it against her to take care of all this nonsense."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Any ideas who it's from?"

"Not a one," Peter said.

"Does that even _matter_?" asked Remus. "All we need to worry about right now is finding something that we can use to help us out of this situation!"

"I know, I know," Lily sighed. "Obviously we need to look harder. Where all have you checked already?"

"Her dormitory," Sirius said promptly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You _would_."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, my dear," defended Sirius with a hearty wink.

"We also searched the records," Peter added. "She's clean—according to the teachers, that is."

"Well, why not try the library?" Lily suggested. "We can all go tonight after the prefects' meeting. Surely there are old papers there and they might have _something _in them…"

"No, we can't tonight" Peter interrupted. He nervously glanced at Remus and Sirius and then seemed to shrink. "We're…busy," he lamely explained in response to Lily's confused look.

"Er…all right then…" she muttered, watching them go with a puzzled eyebrow raised.

* * *

"I _knew _I'd seen it somewhere…" Lily muttered to herself, smoothing out the small piece of parchment that she'd received barely two days ago. She stared at the same signature that Sirius and the others had shown her that morning, _Silent Sue_, but couldn't think of anybody who might use that name or had handwriting like it.

"Hey…Alice?" she called, absently looking over her shoulder, towards the bathroom where Alice was getting ready for her date with Frank. "Do you recognize this handwriting?" she asked, walking over to show her the note.

Alice glanced at it, squinting, and finally shook her head. "Not really."

Lily sighed and slouched back onto her bed.

"Why?" Alice asked, sitting beside her. "Is it important or something?"

Lily shrugged, thinking about the note she'd received after catching James mid-lip-lock with Smethley. "Not really," she muttered. "I was just…curious."

"Maybe…Susan Macavoy?" Alice suggested doubtfully, with a wincing attempt at a smile.

Lily shook her head. "Her's is all loopy. It's okay, though, Alice. Really. Go finish getting ready for your date with Frank…"

"Are you sure you're okay, Lil? You've been acting strange lately…"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lily replied. "I've got to go anyways. I promised James I'd meet him."

"Okay," Alice accepted, brightening considerably. "You kids have fun. But not _too _much fun," she added, winking.

"_Alice_!" Lily giggled, giving Alice her best scandalized look and pushed her in the direction of the bathroom, before shaking her head and going to gather her things to do a bit of homework.

"Tell your boyfriend I said to enjoy himself!" Alice called after her merrily as Lily headed out.

"Good_bye_, Alice!"

Lily was still chuckling as she went down the stairs, spotting James talking with Sirius, Remus, and Peter over by the fireplace.

"Hey guys," she greeted enthusiastically as she walked up to them. "Why so _serious_?" Following her stream of giggles was an awkward silence that she hadn't anticipated. "Come on," she encouraged weakly, looking at them all, "Don't you get it?" She raised her eyebrows at Sirius. "_Serious_? Oh, come on, that's funny…"

They all just looked at her until James, grinning slightly, as though embarrassed for her, put an arm around her shoulder and led her off in another direction.

"Lily, Lily, Lily…" he said, looking as though he were fighting laughter. "For one, you are _terrible _at making jokes. And for another…" He turned and looked at her, grimacing. "Now isn't exactly the best time… We've kinda got…plans tonight."

"Oh…" She glanced back at the others and they seemed slightly impatient. All except Peter. But Lily wasn't entirely sure he had the guts to be impatient with just about anyone, especially James.

Lily had to admit; it was a bit of a let down. She was starting to actually look _forward _to the time they spent together. He was a great friend—much better than she'd given him credit for before…

But she wouldn't make a big deal out of it. For one, she'd rather pitch herself off the Astronomy Tower than be labeled _that _kind of girlfriend (fake or not). And, besides, it wasn't at all unreasonable for him to want to be with his friends. But they were awfully mysterious about it… Over the years, Lily had noticed that they made a habit of sneaking out every now and then. She briefly wondered where they went, but decided that the school hasn't blown up yet, so she wasn't entirely worried about it just then.

"It's okay," she told him, grinning. "But you had better rethink that bit about my jokes. I am _very _funny," she teased.

"Of course," he consented. Then, after a quick glance at the others, he pecked her cheek and said, "I'd better go."

* * *

After the horribly dull prefects' meeting, Lily lazily returned to her dormitory and fell right to sleep after she'd changed into her nightgown, washed her face, and brushed her teeth.

However, because the tedious meeting had lulled her into a sleepy state so much earlier than usual, she became restless in the latest hours of the night. Her discomfort became so much that despite the fact that she was still somewhat tired, she picked a book from her rather large collection and quietly opened the door to go down to the Common Room to read, so as to not disturb the others.

The Common Room was dark—the only light that came to it was a long, pale glow that shone through the windows because nobody had drawn the curtains. Discomforted by the eerie glimmer, Lily tread over to the window and, after setting her book down on a nearby table, went to untie one end of the drapes.

However, just when she was pulling them towards the center of the window, she spotted something rather unusual outside. Now, it _might _have been her imagination (she knew she shouldn't have eaten all those chocolate frogs at the meeting. She _always _became a tad wonky in the head after a lot of chocolate), but she _thought _she had seen the Whomping Willow doing its normal crazy jibe one moment, but then standing _completely still _the very next!

Distrusting in her perception at this hour, Lily vigorously rubbed her eyes and then looked again. This time, the Whomping Willow was moving and grooving all over the place as usual. Frowning, she came to the disconcerting conclusion that she must have imagined it in her exhaustion. So, after she drew both curtains, she forgot about her book and merely brought a quilt to the comfiest couch in the Common Room and fell on it, ready to embark on round two in her quest for sleep.

But fate didn't seem to agree with her plans; no sooner had she finally fallen into a light slumber then the characteristic voice of the Fat Lady began conversing with someone and the portrait hole swung open.

Irritated, Lily gathered herself, ready to throw some Head Girl reprimands at some idiot first or second year who had _no _concept of time _or _compassion for those who _might _want some sleep.

But when she turned and glimpsed a familiar threesome through the darkness, she sighed. "_What _are you guys doing out of bed at a time like this?"

"_Lily_?"

One of the three muttered _"Lumos_!" and shone his wand at her. Lily shielded her eyes from the spotlight and whispered, "Yes, it's me! Now turn that blasted thing away from my eyes before I do it _for _you!"

Almost immediately, Peter lowered his wand and Lily scrambled out of the couch to stride towards him, Sirius, and James.

"As I said, what are you guys _doing_?" she asked again, mostly out of annoyance than anything. She was so used to their weeding out of the trouble that she barely even tried to chide them for their misdoings anymore—only if they did something _really _horrible, which, weirdly, hadn't happened since the previous year. Still yet, she was faintly curious about what they could possibly be up to at nearly three in the morning.

"Just went for a stroll," said James as he held his hands behind his back, hiding something. Lily tilted to the side and saw that it was just a cloak, and then raised a puzzled eyebrow at him, wondering why he'd bother to hide _that_.

"At three in the morning?" she questioned when he said nothing. She knew James and the others well enough to know that they wouldn't be up at such a time for a _walk_. But what she didn't know was why they insisted on keeping it a secret from her when they knew that she wasn't one to gossip or go blabbing to the teachers unless it was a serious matter.

Was that it, then? Was it something so important or serious that they felt she couldn't be trusted? Though Lily would never want to admit it, the realization that this could very well be true hurt her a little bit.

"What's it to you, Evans?" Sirius asked, suddenly on the defensive, despite the fact that they were _supposed _to be on the same side. "Going to turn us in for being out of bed?"

"No," Lily bit back, scowling at the taunting looking on his face.

"Well then," he said, walking past her, "I'll be going to my dormitory." As he climbed the stairs, he looked past Lily and gave James a look that seemed almost threatening.

Peter followed suit, though he grinned at Lily apologetically before bidding her a muttered goodnight, and went upstairs to bed.

Then she was left with James, who looked torn between wanting to go up to the dormitory and staying there to ensure she wasn't upset with him.

And she wasn't…well, not _really_. She didn't _want _to be—but it _did _hurt to know that there were things they felt they had to keep secret from her. She wasn't _that _much of a prude—was she?

"Is this about the whole Skeeter thing?" she asked quietly, hesitantly.

After the departure of his friends, James became softer, the look on his face betraying the fact that they _were _keeping something from her.

"James," she urged, walking towards him, "If it _is _about that, why can't you tell me? After all, she's dragged me into this mess right along with you."

He remained silent, staring at the floor.

"Where's Remus?" she asked. "Why wasn't he with you three? Are you keeping secrets from _him _too?"

James's face blanched at the hidden accusation in her words, but he didn't budge. And Lily didn't want to press him so far to the point that she might lose a friend.

"Okay," she finally relinquished. "I won't make you tell me." Then, making sure to retrieve her book from where she'd lain it earlier, Lily went towards the steps to the Girls' Dormitories.

"But James," she said, turning back right when she'd put her foot on the first step, "You do know that you _can _trust me, don't you?"

He looked up then, contemplating her still figure. "Yes," he replied. "I know." Then, forcing a smile, he said, "Goodnight, Lily," and didn't say another word.

* * *

**A/N:** I just want to say thanks for staying with me, if you have thus far, despite my very erratic (and slow as a slug) updating habits. :) Hopefully I'll be able to do better with future chapters.

Also, if anybody's interested, I've come up with a "cast" for the main characters (and a few minor ones) in _Scandalous _on my Photobucket account. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out: http :/ s680. photobucket. com/ albums/ vv162/ crazyelf22/ Scandalous/

[And if the link is giving you any grief, I also have a hyperlink on my profile page.]


	11. Secrets

**Chapter Eleven: Secrets**

* * *

To tell or not to tell, _that _is the question that plagued James Potter's mind ever since Lily left him standing in the Gryffindor Common Room, wondering if, by remaining loyal to his mates and keeping her in the dark about their most precious secret, he was severing any chances of her ever being able to love him the way he loved her.

Though Sirius and Peter were both already fast asleep by the time he finally went up to their dormitory, James tossed and turned for most of the night before he fell asleep a few hours later. And even in sleep, his fears of losing Lily manifested themselves into horrible nightmares in which the prince never claimed the love of the princess and the monsters always defeated him.

One nightmare in particular ended with his being pushed off a precarious ledge. The fall that he experienced was so real that he awoke with a start and he realized that he actually _had _fallen right out of his bed. His bed hangings had ripped and were piled on the floor next to him. He was sweating and breathing hard, his blankets twisted all around him; he felt like he was suffocating.

And then he realized that both Sirius and Peter had stopped in their tracks and were watching him curiously.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Sirius blurted.

"All right, Prongs?" asked Peter more amiably. "You looked like you were having a fit or something."

There was an awkward silence as James rapidly thought of a way to explain himself.

"I was just dreaming," he finally said. Then, grinning, he added, "It was the last Quidditch game of the season—Gryffindor versus Slytherin. I had to dive off my broom to avoid a bludger and I _still _made the winning goal just before Mina caught the snitch."

Luckily, they both seemed to buy this. Peter grinned and clapped him on the back, promising that with James on the team, Gryffindor was sure to win the real deal; Sirius laughed at James's theatrics.

Grateful to avoid telling them what was _really _on his mind and in his dreams, James hurriedly repaired his bed hangings and then went for the bathroom after urging Sirius and Peter, who were both dressed already, to go on ahead to breakfast and promising that he would meet them there as soon as he was ready.

A half hour later, as he headed for the hospital wing to see Remus before going to breakfast, James still felt horrible, wishing for nothing more than to get a good night's sleep without any damned nightmares.

Remus echoed this same sentiment when James walked into the hospital wing, hoping to fool his perceptive friend with his grin.

"You look _awful_," he declared bluntly.

"It's nothing," James shrugged it off. "I just didn't get much sleep last night is all."

Remus grimaced. "Sorry 'bout that, mate."

"Nah," said James with a true grin. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Moony. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, wonderful," he drawled. "Thankfully, Pomfrey says I can go right after this last dose."

"Good, then I'll wait for you," James insisted, not at all eager to see Sirius or Peter again. No doubt one of them would _eventually _note the look in his face that Remus had seen right away, or the latter would bring it up to them, and he did not want to have to hand out explanations just then. He had to get things straight first. _What _would he do when he saw Lily? Would he just pretend nothing happened? James knew that wouldn't work. She _knew _he was keeping secrets from her and, from the looks of it, she didn't appreciate it. What was more, he didn't _want _to keep secrets from her, especially if they drove her off permanently! But what could he say? He couldn't let his mates down.

In a matter of moments, Madame Pomfrey had returned to administer Remus's medicine and then declared him fit and ready for the day.

"Well, I dunno 'bout _that_," Remus remarked as he yawned heavily, walking with James out of the Hospital Wing. "I'm _exhausted_."

"Think McGonagall would notice if we skipped first class to get some shut-eye?" James asked wryly, but without his usually zest for mischief.

Remus raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you feeling okay? I know that you're not a model student—well, you _are _Head Boy, but I still swear Dumbledore was off his rocker when he made that appointment—but you never cut class without a real _reason_, a reason that even _I _would approve of."

James shrugged.

Remus frowned at him and became more determined. He stopped and waited for James to stop as well. Reluctantly, James came to a halt a few paces away and sighed before turning to look at Remus. "What?"

"What's eating you, James? You're not acting like yourself."

"It's _nothing_. I'm just really _tired_."

"Bullocks," Remus declared. "You never get so tired that you're in a slump like this. Something's bothering you, I can tell."

James knew he was caught. He couldn't play the "tired" card anymore. But he still had the rest of his hand and decided to play every other thing _except _the truth.

"Don't worry," he said. "It's nothing bad. I'll just deal with it."

But Remus could not be persuaded. "Why don't you tell me about it so I can help you?"

James guessed that Remus didn't quite believe that it wasn't anything important. And he was right. Only something like this could put him in such a slump. Even when they lost at Quidditch, he just got right back up again.

"Is it Lily?"

James supposed his face gave himself away because Remus nodded. "I should have known. You always have been so much more sensitive in your feelings for her. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"James…"

"_Nothing _happened," James insisted. "And it never will," he muttered.

"Oh, come _on_, James. You're growing on her! It's obvious that she tolerates you much more easily. _I _think that she even enjoys spending time with you. Who knows? Perhaps by the end of the year she'll be just as madly in love with you as you are with her."

James grimaced. He would _love _for that to happen. But how could it? He was only pushing her farther and farther away with his secrets. And even if she _did _figure them out, she may never forgive him for keeping them from her in the first place. From where he stood, he could only see a strained friendship between them from now on. _If _he could manage to even keep that intact.

Remus obviously noted James's worry. "Come on, James. It couldn't have been _that _bad. She hasn't hexed you into disfigurement yet. And you still have your head! So that's a good sign, isn't it?"

James shook his head. "She doesn't feel that way about me, Remus," he said softly. "And who could blame her? All I've ever done is taunt her and torment her friends, and even now when we are _finally_ friends, I'm keeping secrets from her… For the first time, she seems to want to put everything in the past and be _friends_, but I can't do that. And, worse, all I _am _doing is pushing her away."

"What are you talking about? You haven't done anything to her."

James suddenly realized what he'd said and decided that he shouldn't say anything else. If Remus knew that James felt guilty about keeping their secret from Lily, he would assume that James would break and tell her. And James was beginning to think that he would be right.

"Never mind," he said. "I just feel like it would be hard for her to forget our past enough to like me as more than a friend. You're right, Moony. Maybe she'll come around…some day."

"That's the spirit, mate!" Remus replied, slapping his hand on James's shoulder. "Just you wait and see."

They continued walking down a few halls until James made an excuse to return to Gryffindor tower. He didn't want to face Lily, not yet, not when he was still indecisive.

He went up to his dormitory and lay on his bed, thinking, thinking, _thinking_. Despite his notion that there was still haze and clouds, it was actually rather clear. He had two choices; either tell Lily the truth and risk losing his friends, or continue to keep it from her and risk losing her. His heart and head ached, wishing for the clouds to come back and blur everything again so that he would have a reason not to make a choice. But, since they _were _clearly there, he knew he had to, and soon.

On the one hand, his conscience would be free of the burden of keeping Lily in the dark and he had hope that she could maybe, someday feel differently about him.

But on the _other _hand, his mates might think it an act of the greatest betrayal and immediately dismiss him from their friendship. And, though he was sure that he could never love any girl as much as he _loved _Lily Evans, he couldn't go on without his mates. He'd known them so long that life just wouldn't be the same if they hated him.

But they were _mates_! They were the four Marauders of Hogwarts! The greatest tricksters and group of friends that the school had ever seen! They wouldn't _hate _him if he told her; they couldn't… Surely, they would forgive him for it. And Lily would never tell a soul! He knew her…he knew she wouldn't… Never.

With new resolve and faith that nothing could ever destroy the bond between him, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, James practically leapt from his bed and, seeing that he was late for Transfiguration, grabbed his bag and dashed out his dormitory.

* * *

"Potter," McGonagall addressed as James quietly entered the classroom, "You're late. As it were, we have but a minute of class left. Please stay behind to see me."

He bowed his head at her to indicate that he understood and stood at the back of the classroom to wait.

"Homework," McGonagall then said, flicking her wand, "Is on the board. To be turned in at the start of next class."

The rest of the minute passed quickly as the class scribbled down the work. After the bell rang, James ignored Sirius, Remus, and Peter's inquiring looks. He noticed Lily looking at him as well, and gave her a small smile before walking up to McGonagall's desk.

"I'm surprised at you," she told him conversationally. "You will need to copy a classmate's notes—and _do _avoid Mr. Black's, please, he wasn't conscious for most of it—and, along with the homework assigned to the rest of the class, I would like for you to write an essay on the history of Animagi, to be on my desk with the rest of your work at the start of class on Monday."

James nodded, said, "Yes, Professor," and then walked out of the room to find Remus waiting for him. He explained that Sirius and Peter had gone on to Defense and would tell Cockerhan that they would be coming a little late from Transfiguration, and then fell into step beside James.

"You didn't really forget your book in the dormitory earlier, did you? Are you _sure _you're all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just really needed a bit of rest, that's all…" He gave Remus a broad grin.

"I s'pose," said Remus.

He didn't press it any further and when they got to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, just after the bell, James paid attention to Professor Cockerhan so closely that, despite Remus's suspicious glances, he was determined to not allow his mates to know of his plans until he knew the right way to inform them of what he was going to do.

After class was over, Lily made a point to walk over to him.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, studying his face.

"Of course. I was just tired is all."

She nodded understandingly, but still looked distant.

James, wanting to show her that he _did _care and appreciated her concern, caught her eye and gave her a big grin, which she returned. From then on, she was brighter and more cheerful, though every time he caught her eye, James was sure he saw the twinkle in it falter after a moment.

He hoped that after that night, she would have no reason to falter anymore when she looked at him.

* * *

After lunch, the 7th years had a free period, so Lily decided it would be the perfect time to look over old school newspapers in the library.

Besides, she didn't particularly want to go back to the Gryffindor Common Room and run into James again. Despite the fact that she wanted to remain friends with him, she felt like he'd distanced himself from her since the previous night. She supposed that he realized that it was better that way, so that she wouldn't ask him about his secret.

It didn't particularly bother her anymore, though. It was more the fact that it seemed like he didn't think he could trust her, and she was so upset by that because, even after she'd spent six full years making fun of the girls who did anything to please him, she was becoming one of them. She _wanted _him to feel like he could trust her. She didn't want to be shut off from a whole other part of his life…

But this scared her. Lily did _not _like the idea of her happiness being dependent on what James Potter thought of her and whether he _liked _her or not. That was just ridiculous!

But therein lies the secret of teenagers, she thought. No matter how ridiculous, it was _true_. She cared too much about what he thought of her.

Before long, Lily reached the library and went for the area in which old newspapers and things of that nature were kept and was surprised to see that Sirius and Peter had beaten her to it.

"Oh, hey, Lily," greeted Peter when she appeared.

"_Blast _this damned quill!" cursed Sirius after the tip of his quill broke.

Lily set her things down and settled on the carpet to look with them, then raised an eyebrow at Peter.

"He's, uh, trying to write to Silent Sue…" he explained awkwardly.

"Ah."

"He's not having much success," Peter added, which a slight twitch of his lips as though he dearly wanted to laugh at his friend, but he was far too nice for that.

"It seems that way," Lily agreed as she looked to see Sirius's eyebrows scrunched together furiously as he tried to get the broken quill to continue writing.

She took pity on him and handed over one of her own.

"Do you really think she'll reply?" Peter asked after Sirius had finished and was rolling it up.

"I bloody well hope so. It took me a half hour to write this thing! Besides, we _still _haven't found anything in the papers!"

"Well, what's this?" Lily asked, as she was sifting through the ones Sirius and Peter had already looked at (she didn't entirely trust them to not overlook something). "It looks like it's about her brother—I didn't even know she _had _a brother…"

"It's not very helpful," Peter told her. "It's just an article about how, suddenly, he went home from school one summer and somehow lost his magic. A shame, really—he was about to be in his last year."

"That's horrible…" Lily muttered, looking at the picture of a family of five: a mother and a father, then an oldest brother (who she assumed was Jackson, the one the article centered on), a much younger Rita Skeeter, and then a small baby in the mother's arms.

She then moved on to the rest of the papers, but every other time Rita's name was mentioned, it was only in reference to her work as an editor for the _Hogwart's Herald_.

"_Nothing_," Lily sighed, defeated, when she thoroughly looked through the very last paper.

"Well," said Peter, "Let's hope Silent Sue's discovered something then."

* * *

Later that night, as Lily was reading a book, James approached her and asked if she was ready for their rounds.

At first, she didn't quite understand and said, "Huh?" But then it caught up with her and she realized that she had _completely _forgotten about their rounds that night!

"Oh dear, oh, I'll—I'll be _right _down," she promised before scurrying up the stairs to put away her book. She went to the mirror in the bathroom and looked at herself, tilting her head this way and that. Her make-up didn't look nearly as fresh as it had that morning, but she didn't want to take too long to re-do it, so she settled for tying back her unruly hair in a pony-tail and decided that that would simply have to do, then grabbed her cloak (the corridors, especially the dungeons, could sometimes be pretty drafty at night in the winter) and ran to meet James downstairs. She affirmed that she was ready and they set off.

* * *

He was staring at her again; she just knew it. Lily nonchalantly traveled her gaze over to him and saw that this was, indeed, true. As soon as he saw that she noticed, he abruptly turned to look at something else.

Why the bloody hell did he keep staring at her!

It made her…uncomfortable…_worried_.

She looked away and then spotted him turning back to face her out of her peripheral vision.

"Is there a reason you keep looking at me?" she asked, looking over to catch him before he could "smoothly" look away like he'd done before.

"No."

"Are you sure? You look like you have something on your mind," she insisted, peering at him.

He seemed to wear down and finally stopped walking, then faced her. "I was just thinking about last night," he said, "I feel awful about keeping things from you and I'm sorry if it offends you or anything."

Lily blushed. "I'm not offended…" she began weakly, but stopped when James gave her a look.

"I know you well enough to know that you _are_, even if you're too nice to show it," he murmured.

"No, it's okay, James. Really, I understand…"

He shook his head. "No. If something has to come between us, I don't want it to be _this_."

"O—okay…" She waited patiently for him to tell her something like him and his mates accidentally breaking a priceless Hogwarts artifact or stealing something from a teacher.

"Come on," he finally said. "I want to show you something."

Though she didn't have a clue as to what was going on, Lily allowed him to pull her along—that is, until they reached the front doors.

"Where are we going?" she asked hesitantly when he made to continue towards them. "Surely not out _there_? It's freezing."

"Here," he offered, starting to unfasten his cloak.

"No," she stopped him, blushing in embarrassment. She didn't mean for him to give up his warmth for _her_. She merely didn't understand what there was to see out there…

But still, Potter wasn't convinced. He placed his cloak around her, fastened it despite her protests, and then opened the doors.

Luckily, there was no wind to make it colder, though there was still a thin layer of snow on the ground. Lily felt a little better due to the fact that James was wearing a thick sweater and didn't seem bothered by the chill in the air.

"Are we going in _there_?" she asked, somewhat panicked, when they neared the Forbidden Forest.

"It's all right," James promised. "You know I wouldn't let anything hurt you."

Lily nodded, though she still found the looming forest eerie and discomforting, and continued to follow him. Once they went into the trees themselves, the shadows all jumped out at her and made her feel as though something wasn't right—she reached for James's hand and felt comforted to know he was _right there_.

But when they reached a small clearing, he pulled away from her.

"Stay here," he whispered.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"Just over there," James replied, gesturing towards a clump of trees close to them. "You'll be fine, I swear. I'll be right back."

Lily knew that she was capable enough, with her wand, if something were to attack her, but she couldn't lie to herself…she found the forest fairly frightening and she thought that even a _moment _in the fear of it without James beside her would worry her into a comatose state.

And, just as she feared, a new creature joined her a few moments after James had disappeared in the bushes nearby. Its antlers preceded it and Lily took a step back, cracking a tree limb in two as she did so.

"James…" she whispered as the head and body emerged. She stared down a stag that didn't look like it _wanted _to harm her, but still…how could she know what might set it off?

It began to go towards her and she backed into a tree, afraid that it would attack if she allowed it to get too close. But the stag stopped maybe two feet from her and bowed its head at her. She stared at it, unsure of what this gesture meant.

Where was James? She called for him again, her voice barely above a whisper. Oh, she would _kill _him when he came back. He'd said that he'd be close!

When she didn't do anything at all, the stag approached her, coming close enough for her to feel its breath on her face.

Hesitantly, she reached a hand out to stroke its muzzle. The stag leaned into her touch and rubbed its head against her hand in the same manner as a devoted pet might.

Lily was just beginning to feel calm again, when, suddenly, something happened to the stag. In the blink of an eye, her hand was holding the side of James Potter's face as opposed to stroking the stag's muzzle. She gasped in surprise, but didn't pull her hand away, even when he looked at her with guilty eyes.

So this was it, his big secret. And he'd chosen to tell her at last.

Perhaps it was the abrupt closeness of him, perhaps it was _everything _that had happened between them in the past few months—whatever it was, it made Lily lean closer, cupping her hand under his chin, and pull his jaw close enough to kiss him.


	12. Sorry

**Chapter Twelve: Sorry**

* * *

There was a tap at the window; Sirius jumped up immediately and went to it with Peter and Remus close at his heels. After Sirius detached the note, Remus gave the owl a treat and closed the window after it flew off again, then they all turned to see what Silent Sue had responded with.

"I told you that I don't know what she's hiding," Sirius read aloud. "I know that there's somebody holding it against her, though. Somebody else knows her secret. Only I can't tell who…"

"Well that's unhelpful," Peter muttered, frowning.

"You think?" Sirius asked crossly. He balled up the parchment and threw it in the wastebasket. "What a load of rubbish!"

"It _does _give us a lead, though," Remus assented. "Now all we've got to do is watch to see if Skeeter spends her time with anybody unusual. Then, if we can perhaps hear the right words, we've got them!"

"Doth mine ears deceive me, or is my dear brown-nosed Moony suggesting _espionage_?" Sirius asked excitedly.

"Not _espionage_, exactly," Remus rebuked with a roll of his eyes. "We'll just…follow her around a little."

"That's good enough for me! Now, where's our dear ole' Jamesie? It's just not spying without him."

"You know," Peter muttered, "It's really stupid of us not to have thought of this before."

"I _thought _of it," Sirius said as he opened his trunk to dig around for the map. "Briefly. And only as a last resort—I don't want to expose myself to that much Skeeter if its not necessary. But I guess now it's all we've got left. Bugger! Where's that map?"

"I think James had it last," answered Peter.

"Speaking of James, shouldn't he have been back by now?" Remus suddenly asked. "I just went down to the Common Room and he wasn't there."

"He said he had rounds," Sirius supplied with a shrug. "Who knows how long that takes?"

"It shouldn't take _this _long, that's for sure," Remus said, looking at the clock that read three minutes to midnight. "As long as they didn't come into much trouble, they should have been back at about ten-thirty or eleven…"

"They probably came across some first years goofing off or something," Sirius said. "What's the big deal?"

Remus shrugged. "I guess it's not. I just find it weird is all."

Right then, the door to their dormitory swung open and James stepped through, his face looking flushed. "Sorry it took so long. Got held up by a few first years sneaking some dungbombs in Filch's office."

"Told you," Sirius aimed at Remus, smirking.

"Where's your cloak?" asked Remus. "I thought you took it with you."

If he wasn't mistaken, he was sure he saw James blush at the question. "I did," he said. "But, er, it got a little drafty in the dungeons, so I gave it to Lily. I guess I forgot to get it back."

"Oh. Well, we've got one more idea about Skeeter," Remus informed him.

"Our last resort," added Sirius. "We'll _follow_ her. Apparently, somebody else knows about this secret and is holding it against her."

James's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about? What secret? And how do you know?"

"We've got our sources," Sirius said, handing over the note from Silent Sue. James read it and raised an eyebrow.

"So we'll follow her to figure out who it is and what her secret is?"

"Yep," said Sirius heartily.

He shrugged. "Well, not tonight. I feel like I could sleep forever…"

"Agreed, mate," Remus said, yawning.

"Fine, you pansies. But Operation Skeeter Sweeper _will_ commence at dawn!" Sirius called, as though it were a battle cry.

"_Skeeter Sweeper_?" asked Peter somewhat skeptically.

"Shut it. It was the best I could think of on the spot."

"Well, all right then…"

"And what do you mean, _dawn_?" Remus inquired. "No way I'm getting my arse out of that bed until at least eight."

"FINE," Sirius told the room at large; James, apparently trying to stay out of it, snickered. "I'll be boring, then," continued Sirius, "and just say that we'll _start _tomorrow…"

"Well as least you don't sound like an idiot," said Remus as he turned off the lamp beside his four-poster and crawled into it.

* * *

The next morning, James awoke (not at dawn, thankfully) to the sound of a knock at the door. Puzzled, he groped a hand towards his bed-side table and took his glasses, put them on, then got out of bed, knowing that the others were too heavy of sleepers to hear the knock.

James opened the door and on the other side stood Lily, already dressed and smelling fresh, but looking as though she felt rather awkward there.

"Lily!" he exclaimed, and then he looked down, blushing, at his striped pajama pants and plain white shirt. "Uh…what a surprise…to see you this morning."

"Sorry to come so early," she said, noting his appearance with her gaze. "I just wanted to bring this back," she said weakly, holding up his cloak, carefully folded.

"Oh," he said, reaching for it. "Thanks."

She nodded vigorously, and then looked around with that slight flush still on her cheeks. "Well," she said, when her eyes came back to him. "Er—I'll go now. Uh…good morning, James. Hope you slept well and all that," she muttered quickly before she turned away and sped off.

As he watched her go, James grinned to himself, thinking that it was sure to be just a _lovely _day…

* * *

Later, after all of their classes were over (7th years had two free periods at the end of the day on Fridays), James decided to go to the library, knowing who he would find there. Despite what had occurred the night before, things felt very queer between him and Lily. Not in a bad way, of course; it just felt like they were both too embarrassed to bring it up. So James decided to take a chance and be the first.

Just as he suspected, Lily was seated in her favorite nook of the library, away from everybody else. She had two open textbooks on the table and she was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment as she glanced at them every so often. James stood watching a moment, grinning at the way she would stop to think about something and tap her nose with her quill as she brought a finger to her lips inquisitively. Then she jumped in excitement and began writing again with new zeal, a smile on her perfectly freckled face.

James stepped out from behind a bookshelf and greeted her.

"Oh, hi James," she said, automatically dropping her quill as her hand went to her hair. "Er, what brings you to the library?"

"Just some work," he shrugged, indicating his bag. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," she replied, pushing her things out of the way to make room for him to sit in the seat beside hers.

"What are you working on?" he asked as he began to take things out of his bag.

Lily blushed. "Uh, I was just…copying some extra notes," she said, shyly gesturing towards her Transfiguration book.

"Oh?" He leaned over to look at the topic of the page she was at. "So, what do you think of Animagi thus far?"

"I…uh…they're, er, very interesting…"

"Yes," he agreed. "I'm rather fascinated with them myself." He grinned at her. She returned it with a slight curve of her lips, but when he met her eyes, she quickly looked away.

There was a silence during which James wasn't entirely sure what he should say to invoke the conversation that he knew they'd have to get past eventually. But, thankfully, it was Lily, surprisingly, who embarked on such a topic.

"James," she suddenly said, laying her quill down.

"Hmm?" he asked as he looked up from his essay for McGonagall.

"I've been thinking."

"And?"

"And I can't figure it out," she continued, still staring at the open textbook in front of her.

"Figure _what _out?" he asked quietly, probingly, daring her to say it.

Lily turned to face him, looking a little startled by how close his face was, and then she looked swiftly at her textbook again. "I just can't figure out _why_," she said in a hushed voice. Then, after looking around to make sure they were alone, she continued in a low voice, "Is it just…something you and the others always wanted to do? Don't get me wrong—it's brilliant! I just…don't see what the use of it is _now_."

James hesitated. He knew it would probably come to this after she figured out all the facts of _his _part in it, but he was still nervous. He wasn't sure if he ought to tell her the whole thing.

"It's not for our amusement," he began. "There's a reason why we…did that. But I don't think I can tell you because it's not just _mine _to tell."

Lily looked at him and then nodded. "I understand," she said. "I know that your friends probably wouldn't be happy if they found out. But…it means a lot that you told me what you could…"

Keeping her eyes on his, she leaned closer to him, but before anything could happen, a figure walked right in front of them and caught their attention.

"Sirius!" James quickly sent his friend a false grin. "What're you doing in the library?"

But James's friendly greeting didn't faze Sirius, who's frown contorted his face with anger.

"How _could _you, Prongs? You _know _what's at stake and yet you just couldn't help tending to her damned curiousity!"

James was caught off guard. "What did you hear?"

"I heard enough to know what you did."

"Mr. _Black_!" Before Sirius could say anything else, Madame Pince came hurrying over to them, looking outraged. "Mr. Potter!" she added once she saw him. "I do _not _permit shouting in my library, _or _such foul language! Please see yourselves out!"

Feeling a hollow pit in his stomach, James quickly took his things and stuffed them in his bag.

"Just stay here," he said when he saw that Lily was doing the same.

"And leave you to the sharks?" she asked, eyeing Sirius. "I don't think so."

James didn't argue anymore. Instead, he followed Sirius out of the library, where the latter immediately turned on him and starting shouting accusations again.

"_Not _out here, you idiot!" Lily hissed. She led them over to an empty classroom and swung the door open. James and Sirius, glaring at one another, followed her inside.

James shut the door behind him and after he used "_Muffliato_," Sirius started raving again.

"Really, do you not care _at all_? You do realize it's not exactly _legal_, what we do? I don't mind breaking school rules, but I _damn well _will not go to_ jail _just because you're too much of an arse to honor the pact we all made in fifth year!"

"Shut _up_, Sirius!" James cut in. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you or the others. You _know _that. But I care about Lily and if there's something about _me _that I can't tell her, then we have a problem. I did _not _say anything else. All I did was show her what _I _do."

Sirius's glare moved from James to pin Lily. The only thing he seemed to hear was the fact that Lily was involved. "Of _course _it's _your_ fault. _Perfect, pretty _little _Lily Evans _just _has _to do anything and everything to satisfy her wants. Are you _happy _now, princess? Are you _glad _that now you know? What did you _think_? We were just _sneaking out for a good laugh_?" He scoffed at her cruelly. "You girls are all the same. You never stop to think that we _might _have good reasons for doing the things that we do."

He walked right up to her and James followed, putting a hand on Sirius's shoulder, afraid that he might do something to hurt her. Lily looked at James worriedly and backed into the wall as Sirius stopped in front of her. "I _may _not be a model student," he hissed in her face, "But I will _always_ be there for my friends when they need me." He then turned to address James. "Unlike _you_."

* * *

After Sirius stormed out, it was quiet for a while until Lily finally spoke. "James, what did Sirius mean?" Trembling, she approached him. "Is there something…more?"

"Lily, if I told you what Sirius was talking about, you would have to _promise _that you will _never _tell another soul. Not even Mary or Alice."

Lily nodded fervently. "Is something wrong?" she asked in a hushed voice. "Maybe…maybe I can help."

James shook his head. "It can't be helped."

"Well…what is it?"

"Remus," he said, "is a werewolf." Then, anticipating Lily's surprise, he hastily assured her, "But Dumbledore has made it safe for him at school. He had the Whomping Willow planted for Remus so that it could be used as a means to keep others from following him into the passageway underneath it."

"Where does he go?"

James gave her a wry, tired look. "You know the stories that people tell about the Shrieking Shack being haunted? All the horrible noises that can supposedly be heard?"

"That's not…?"

"Yeah, that's Remus," James said sadly.

"But that's awful…" she remarked, her eyes glistening with sympathy.

"We thought so, too," James agreed, "When we found out in third year, Remus was ashamed, but we wanted to find a way to make it better for him. And, in fifth year, we did. The three of us became Animagi so that he wouldn't have to do it alone." He looked at her and shrugged. "Now you know everything."

* * *

"You would think she would have more of a social life," Peter remarked.

"One would," agreed Remus. As soon as classes had let out for the day, he and Peter had tracked down Skeeter and were now watching her every move. So far, they'd only witnessed her going from her dormitory to the staff room of the _Herald_. Though she'd met several people along the way, they hadn't seen any suspicious interactions or noticed anybody who she didn't normally associate with. Now they had snuck into the office and were waiting for something to happen. Finally, something _did_.

"Not you again," sighed Skeeter after the door opened and closed. From their hiding place in a cupboard, Remus and Peter watched a pair of feet walk close to her.

"I'm done," the person said. "Done with all of it. Print your damn story…but leave her alone."

Peter and Remus exchanged glances. They both knew that voice.

* * *

Lily parted ways with James and went back to her dormitory to finish her work. But when she looked in her bag for her Transfiguration book, she couldn't find it. She came to the conclusion that, in the rush, James had took his _and _hers, so she supposed she'd just have to get it from him.

She went over to his dormitory and knocked. Lily knew that she couldn't just _avoid _him forever now, not just because his friends (or lack thereof, though she hoped this wasn't the case) hated her. Or, rather, _Sirius _hated her. She was sure that Remus and Peter would be more understanding. Surely they would realize that she could be trusted.

James opened the door, looking miserable.

"Hi Lily," he greeted, quickly coming out and closing the door behind him. Lily was sure she distinctly heard a _thump _as something hit the door behind him. James winced.

"Hey…" she said softly. "Er, sorry, but I just realized that I don't have my Transfiguration book and I wondered if you took it by mistake?"

"Let me check," he said. Then he hesitated. "You'd…you'd better just wait here for me, okay?"

Lily nodded nervously as he went inside and closed the door behind him. She heard the muffled sound of Sirius's voice, no doubt making a wise crack about her.

Before James came back out, Lily heard somebody coming up the stairs behind her and turned to see Remus and Peter both running towards the door as though they didn't notice her. She carefully dodged them and they hastened to open it.

"We've got her!" Peter cried triumphantly when they entered it. Lily, intrigued by this, hid herself just behind the open door, daring to peek from the side of it.

"What?" asked James, who stopped rummaging through his bag and pulled out a book that Lily recognized as hers.

"Skeeter!" Remus answered. "We know who's—" He suddenly stopped and Lily saw that he was looking at her through the mirror that hung on the opposite wall. "Uh…" he turned around. "Hi…Lily."

She blushed, but didn't really want to leave. She was in this just as much as they were now. Besides, if they were going to find out what she knew (and she was sure they would) she would rather be there to take some of the blame as opposed to allowing James to take it all himself later.

"Er…" Remus looked at James awkwardly as though trying to indicate that he should make Lily leave.

Sirius snorted. "Not like it'll matter," he commented dryly. "She already _knows_. James here has told her every single thing just so he can get some sweets from perfect Miss _Lily Evans_!"

Remus and Peter were rooted with surprise. They first looked to Lily, whose guilty face must have told them what they wanted to know. Then their heads swiveled to James.

"James, you _didn't_," Remus said. And, indeed, he sounded as though he didn't believe a single word of it. But James's guilty look and vow of silence turned Remus's disbelieving face downcast until he looked absolutely _hurt_.

"But _why_?"

"James, you know that if anybody ever found out…" Peter began.

"Yes, I _know_," James snapped fiercely. "And I'm _sorry_. But she can be trusted, I know she can," he said, looking right at Lily as he said this.

"Of _course _I won't tell anybody," Lily assured, approaching Remus. "I'm so sorry about it…and I promise I will keep your secret forever…"

"Please _don't_," Remus said, holding up a hand when Lily made a gesture to pat his shoulder. He was shaking and looked crazed, as though he was trapped in a tornado with no air. "Just…_don't_."

"You've done enough," Sirius added, getting up from his place of moping on his bed. "Maybe you should just _leave_, Evans. And never come back."

How could he mean that? Lily had never done anything to them! She looked from his face to Peter, who was staring at the ground, and then to Remus, whose face still betrayed how hurt he must have felt.

"Fine," Lily said quietly. "I'll go." Then she looked at James, who hadn't said a word the whole time. But she understood. She was just a girl—there were plenty of fish in the sea, as they would say. But she knew that he would be miserable if he didn't have his friends. "And I won't come back," she echoed, her eyes blinking rapidly so as to not let any tears fall.

Then she turned around and left, closing the door behind her.

But just outside the door, Lily bumped into somebody. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, wiping away the few tears that had leaked from her eyes.

"It's okay," said the younger boy. "Is that Sirius Black's room?"

"Unfortunately," Lily muttered. Then she looked down to see him holding a note. "Why? Is that for him?"

The kid nodded.

"I'll give it to him," she volunteered, after which he shrugged and handed it over.

He'd just reached the stairs again when Lily opened it and caught sight of the familiar signature. "Wait!" she called to him. "Who sent this with you?"

The boy grinned apologetically. "Sorry. She paid me two galleons to keep my mouth shut."

"I'll double it!"

"She also said that she'll triple whatever offer one of you made."

Deflated, Lily let him leave in peace—after all, she couldn't blame the kid for going with the economically more beneficial route. She just wished she could know who this secret source was…

As she climbed down the steps, Lily read the hasty note:

_It's Snape_, read Sue's curling script_. Snape's the one who knows something about Skeeter. Find Snape and learn her secret and you'll save yours._

Her heart quickened. Should she deliver the note like she'd promised? No, no…if anybody had a _worse _chance of getting Snape to help him, it was Sirius Black. No, no…she'd just have to do it herself. After all, who better to weed information from him?

* * *

Luckily, as Head Girl, Lily knew all the passwords to the respective house common rooms and didn't have a problem getting into Slytherin's.

"What do _you _want, Evans?" sneered a fifth year, Phyllis Cavanaugh, when she'd entered the dungeon Common Room where the Slytherins resided.

"Not that it's any of _your _business," Lily retorted, "But I just wanted a quick word with Nott about changing the prefects' rounds."

Phyllis scowled, but even she couldn't tell off Lily for seemingly doing Head Girl duties and she didn't stop her when Lily went for the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories.

She found the 7th year room easily enough, but hesitated before knocking. The door opened right away and her fellow prefect, Theodore Nott, was on the other side.

"What are you doing in the Slytherin dungeons?"

"I just wanted to talk to Severus. Is he in there?"

Nott narrowed his eyes, but Lily heard Severus somewhere in the room behind him say, "Let her in, Nott." And, despite his superior prefect status, Nott (reluctantly, of course) obeyed and stepped back to let her in. Their room was dank and dark with no windows. She shivered in the chill, creeping air, thinking it must be awful for them to live under the first floor of the school.

"Let me talk to her alone," Severus said to Nott, who then left the room as though he couldn't do so fast enough. Severus got up and went past her to shut the door.

"What is it?" he asked earnestly, walking over to stand before her.

"I—I want to be friends again," she said, biting her lip.

Severus's face lit up. "_Really_?"

She nodded, and then quickly looked away. "I _need _a friend. It doesn't seem like James wants anything to do with me anymore…"

Severus touched her arm. "You don't need him, Lily! You know I will _always _be there for you."

She nodded, her throat clenched. "Yeah, I know," she forced out through a sad attempt at a smile. "It's just, well…I _miss _him."

Severus's grin disappeared at once. "But _why_? What's so special about _Potter_?"

"He _is _special. He's charming and sweet and his heart is pure," she insisted, knowing that even though it was all an act to get Severus to help her, what she said about James was true. "And," she added, quietly. "I think I'm starting to fall for him."

"But, Lily, think about what he's—"'

"I know. He's been a right _git _in the past, but he's changed. He's matured. He isn't like that anymore…"

"People don't _change_, Lily," Severus said sternly.

She eyed him. "_You _did." Then her eyes flickered away when she saw the hurt in his. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I came for your help, though. Please, Sev, I really need your help with something very important."

He looked happy at the chance to prove himself. "What can I do?"

"I need to know what you know about Rita Skeeter."

Severus's face paled more than usual. "What do you mean? What makes you think I know anything about Skeeter?"

Lily grimaced. "I know that you…worked with her. And she's hurting my friends, Sev. She's hurting _me_. So I need to fix it—and I need your help to do that."

Finally, he nodded. "I'll…I'll show you," he consented. Then he led her to a small, dusty cabinet in the corner of his room. He undid a large padlock that was on the handle and then extracted a small bowl filled with silvery liquid.

"A pensive," Lily observed quietly, somewhat impressed as she knew that usually only older, wiser (though she knew Severus _was _one of the smartest pupil's at Hogwarts) wizards had these.

"Yes," Severus said. He set it down on his nightstand and then picked up his wand. After he'd carefully extracted a strand of the thoughts, he lifted it towards Lily.

"What you're about to see happened on July the 7th, nearly seven years ago," Severus explained. "Please don't think too badly of me once you see it…"

* * *

"Wait," Severus said after Lily had seen what she'd needed to see and was making for the door. "This isn't how it ends, is it?"

"For now," answered Lily. "I couldn't say for a year, a month, or even a week from now, though."

Severus's eyes darkened and Lily felt a pang of regret. Despite what she said, she knew as well as he did that if they didn't make amends now, it would never happen.

But when she knew things about him, when she knew, like most of the school knew, how immersed he and his friends were into the Dark Arts…she couldn't be his friend. She just couldn't.

"I'm sorry, Sev," Lily told him, meaning it with all her heart_,_ and then she left.


	13. Skeeter's Secret Slipped!

**Chapter Thirteen: Skeeter's Secret Slipped!**

* * *

"So it's _Snape_?"

"Are you really surprised?" Remus asked, cocking an eyebrow. "He's always hated you, James. And of course he and I are just the _best _of friends…"

"Actually," replied James, looking around the room in disbelief before he came back to Remus, "I _am_. Why on earth would he blackmail Skeeter into pushing Lily and I _together_ if he fancies her?"

"From what he said, it sounded like the plan had been for her to see how she could never be with you," Peter piped up, avoiding James's eyes and looking a tad awkward as he said it.

James's stomach dropped. Of all people, _Snape _and _Skeeter_ had been the ones to rightly predict how a relationship between him and Lily could turn out, fake or not. Well, there had been Sirius's "warnings," but he was James's _friend_…he was _supposed _to give him a hard time. With Snape and Skeeter it just felt bitter.

"Oh, don't believe that rubbish, James. It wasn't _you _who drove her away," Remus quickly amended as he glared at James's disheartened face. "It was Snape and Skeeter's plotting…and…" He stopped a moment to look at Sirius and Peter rather abashedly. "And _us_, I'm sorry to admit."

"What the hell did we do?" Sirius spouted off. The other three looked at him, and James in particular willed his face to ask Sirius what he _hadn't _done.

"Are you _really _asking that, Padfoot?" asked Peter.

"I didn't do a damn thing to her!" the accused continued, jumping up from where he'd been sitting. "_She_ wrecked everything! She should've just left us alone!"

"She _couldn't_, Sirius," Remus argued back. "Skeeter dragged her into it just as much as she did the rest of us! Hell, the whole plot was practically _about _Lily! So don't blame her… It wasn't her fault." He sighed and looked at James again, a little pink in the face and obviously embarrassed by what he was meaning to say. "Look, mate, I know that I said some things earlier, but… I was just scared. I didn't stop to think about the fact that Lily has been my friend for years and wouldn't just sell us out like that…and I'm sorry."

"S'ok, Moony," James said, grinning, though his mood was still somewhat deflated by Sirius's sour mood towards Lily. After her stubborn aversion to just giving him a chance (which he hoped he'd broken down, or at least put a scratch in, somewhat that past school year), Sirius remained a stubborn obstacle to a relationship with her. For some reason, he'd just never taken much of a liking to anything past her legs under the school skirt (even then, James took care of that with a quick fist back in Fourth Year).

"Oh, _Merlin_," moaned Sirius, histrionically rolling his eyes. "Please tell me you're not about to kiss and make up like a bunch of women…"

"No, but I _am _going to go find Snape," Remus countered, heading towards the door with Peter at his heels.

"Wait!" James stopped them. "But how will we get him to tell us what he knows? It's not like he'll be all that willing to do _us_ any favors…"

"Finally, _my _area of expertise." The others looked at Sirius to see him smirking and rubbing his hands together in _quite_ a conspiratorial fashion. Suddenly he was back to his old, scheming self. "Mates, it looks like we'll be sneaking into Slughorn's private stores."

* * *

As soon as Lily left the Slytherin dungeons, she went straight for the stairs that would take her back up to Gryffindor tower, her heart pounding the seconds by, as though a large clock were counting down the time they had left to stop Skeeter and her plot before it was game over.

Finally, she entered the familiar, warm Common Room, short of breath, and wasted no time in going up to the boys' dormitory. But when she reached the door—and knocked—there was no answer. Even after Lily waited about a minute or so and called loudly for James (she was certain he was the only one who would even bother to respond to her), still nothing happened. Finally she just tried the door, wondering if James wasn't there, but the other three were. If that was the case, no matter _how _badly they might think of her, she had to tell them how to end everything with Skeeter. Perhaps then she'd be able to get her life back.

However, when she opened the door, she found the room completely empty.

Where could they have possibly _gone_, she wondered with frustration as she peered in the corners of the room, almost as if she expected to find them all huddled together, laughing at her. But she saw no such scene and decided to leave, thinking she might be able to find them somewhere else.

"Hey, Lily! Everything all right?" Mary asked, apparently noticing Lily's look of distress as she went back down to the Common Room. Her own face fell as Lily approached her and she asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Er, no, no, nothing _wrong_," Lily lied lightly. "Er…I was just wondering…have you seen James or any of his friends lately?"

Mary's eyebrows scrunched in puzzlement, but she pointed at the portrait hole and said, "They left about ten minutes ago, I think… Why?"

"It's not really a big deal," Lily said, waving it off. "I just need to ask James something…"

"Oh, okay. Er, see you, then…" Mary called after Lily as she hurriedly left for the portrait hole.

A tad guilty at the thought of leaving Mary and Alice out of the loop, Lily threw a wave and a smile over her shoulder and called back, "Later!" before she climbed through.

Once in the hall, Lily heaved a heavy sigh and sifted through her scrambled thoughts as she considered all the places where they could be. She checked her watch and saw that dinner was just about to start in the next fifteen minutes, so she decided to check the Great Hall first.

However, once she reached the Great Hall and gazed over the small number of people that had come early, she didn't see James, Remus, Peter, _or _Sirius and his ever-present egotistical smirk. Dejected, Lily turned away with a frown and headed in the direction to go back to the stairs. But just before she reached them, she heard familiar whispers by the dungeons and went to investigate.

Fortunately, as she rounded the corner, she saw that the owners of the whispering voices happened to be the very same delinquents that she'd been searching for! Huzzah!

James, Remus, Peter, and Sirius were all huddled together at a corner where one hall adjoined with the one that led to the Slytherin dungeons. It looked to her like Sirius was holding a vial and they all seemed ready to pounce on anybody who passed through the hall.

Lily came up right behind James and whispered, "What, exactly, is it that you're doing?"

James spastically (which, despite his former pig-headedness, Lily hadn't thought was possible) turned around and looked at her with widened eyes. "Lily!" he exclaimed, loud enough for his voice to echo down the chamber. Remus punched him on the arm and _ssshh_'d him with a roll of his eyes, though he sent Lily an apologetic grin.

"Sorry," said James, flushed in the cheeks. "Er…so what brings you down here, Lily?"

"Looking for the four of _you_," she replied heatedly. "Where the hell have you guys been? I've been all over the bleeding castle! _And _I have something to tell you!"

"Not _now_, Evans," growled Sirius, watching the corridor carefully.

Lily narrowed her eyes at the back of his head. His mouth was _really _starting to wear thin on her nerves. Oh, if only she could punch him. If only her conscience would let her rip a _good _one right in his jaw, just this once…she would never complain about Sirius Black again…

But her conscience _didn't _sign the permission forms for her fist to take a special trip on Sirius's face—not to mention the fact that she was likely to hurt herself more than him—so she settled for the tried and true (_most _of the time, anyways) method of ignoring him.

"No, really, it's important," she said to the other three.

"But can't it wait?" asked Peter, glancing down the hall nervously. "We're sort-of busy at the moment…"

"_No_, it can_not _wait," she countered heatedly, enraged that they were treating her like this despite all she'd done to help them—_especially _the parts they didn't know about yet!

Sirius made an angry grunting sound and turned on her with bared teeth. "Well it's _going _to, Evans. Unlike you, we actually _care _about what happens to Remus, so _shut your bitching trap!_"

This little _tête-à-tête _caught the attention of the others who didn't seem to know what to say or whose side to vouch for. When she saw him, James especially looked torn—actually, he looked downright sick to his stomach.

But Sirius didn't seem to care about the thick atmosphere; he just kept spinning his tires and shooting off his mouth anyways.

"Now look _here_, Evans. I really don't give a damn _how _special you think you are. All you've done is changed James for the worst and ruined us. If you think you're _good _for him, then think again. We don't care about you _or _what you have to say. So just _close your ever-loving mouth and get lost_."

Oh.

Oh, that was _it_. Okay, nowLily was _pissed off_. Stinging, hot tears welled up in the corners of her eyes and made her vision of Sirius's red face blurry for a few moments before she furiously blinked her eyes and forced herself to keep from crying. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of letting him know he'd hurt her.

"_That_," she finally said quietly, "is why I'm _here_. I already know what Skeeter's secret is—I found out about Snape and asked him myself. So we'll find her, sort this mess out, and then you can have your friends all to your _damn_ self and none of you will ever have to deal with me again."

* * *

It truly was a large castle.

Lily couldn't help but be painfully aware of the fact as they trekked through the many corridors and up and down the multitude of stairs trying to find Skeeter. Remus and Peter said that they'd seen her in the office of the _Herald _earlier, but weren't sure if she returned since they'd waited until she'd left to slip out of their hiding spot. Still yet, it was the only lead they really had, so they checked anyways.

However, when they came upon the right corridor, they found the room dark and devoid of anybody.

"She's probably at dinner," Peter suggested quietly.

It was weird. Lily had never been in the presence of the Marauders and experienced such quiet at the same time. But, given the circumstances, she longed for the sound of their (sometimes manic) laughter and jokes. The silence was almost like the weight of a death hanging over them all. Lily shivered from the thought and kept walking as Peter and Remus led the group towards the Great Hall.

She really didn't feel like confronting Skeeter or anybody, to be perfectly honest. She had to fight to keep from crying out of the anger and hurt she felt—mostly, at least in regards to the anger, directed at _herself_. Lily hated that a dismissal by those four boys—the same ones that she's been rolling her eyes at or attempting to ignore for years—could be enough to make her cry. But, really, she couldn't lie and tell herself that she despised their company. She actually rather enjoyed it. After all that had been happening in the last few months, she'd felt like they were as close to her as Mary or Alice, and that scared her a little bit, but she liked it.

"There she is," said Remus when they came to a stop at the doors, peering in on the house tables.

Everybody sort of froze, not knowing what to do since Skeeter wasn't alone and wasn't in the best circumstances for a confrontation.

"I'll get her," Lily finally volunteered, knowing that the others wouldn't want to do it—no matter how much she disliked this, she really just wanted to get it over with. Maybe things might go back to normal the next day.

When she entered, she noticed Alice looking around, presumably for her, as Frank was already sitting on her left. She eventually spotted Lily as she attempted to dart around the Hufflepuff table, heading for the Ravenclaws, undetected. But, when Lily shook her head at Alice's gesture of invitation, her friend frowned and sat down, looking rather glum.

Lily bit her cheek and kept going. She didn't like treating her friends like this—she was sure they were worried about how strangely she'd been acting—but she held on to the hope that things would sort themselves out soon.

She came up behind Skeeter and tapped her on the shoulder somewhat hesitantly. A group of girls—several associated with the Hag Mag—surrounding Skeeter gave Lily dirty looks.

"Oh. Evans," she said when she turned and noticed Lily. She looked at her expectantly—and rather bored.

"Can I have a word?" Lily asked, quietly.

"I suppose."

And when Skeeter made no move to get up, she added, "In private."

Skeeter rolled her eyes, but swung her legs around the bench to face Lily. "What's this about, Evans? Hm? Going to dock me points because you can't keep your skeevy hands off Potter and I happened to catch you?"

She smirked and looked at her friends, who giggled as though she'd just told quiet a hilarious joke.

_You're warm_. _Er—sort-of. _

"Not quite," answered Lily. She couldn't help letting a smirk of her own slip. "Actually, I learned something really interesting about your brother and I was wondering if I might ask you about it."

The smile slipped right off Skeeter's face, almost as if Lily had charmed it off herself.

Then she stood up, her face in an angry scowl, and came so close to Lily that she stumbled backwards in surprise.

"Listen to _me_, Evans," she bit through gritted teeth, "I don't know what you're talking about, and if you _ever_—_ever _try to say anything against me, I'll ruin you. I'll ruin you so badly that you'll have to flee the country. Do you want that? Because, really, _don't _test—"

"Problem, Skeeter?"

Skeeter looked over Lily's shoulder and Lily spun around to find Mary, Alice, and Frank all standing there. Mary had her arms crossed around her chest and Alice, who had spoken, was giving Skeeter a wide grin with her hand in her pocket, around her wand.

Skeeter returned a sour look and, after briefly glancing hatefully at Lily, said, "No. Not at all." She forced a smile on her face, resembling a clown, and patted Lily on the shoulder. "Just a friendly chat."

"_Dearest _Rita and I were just on our way out for a bit of private conversation. Weren't we, _pal_?"

Skeeter's icy gaze lingered over Lily for just a moment before she decided that there was no use arguing and succumbed with a flare of her nostrils and twitch of her lips. She stalked past Lily, heading for the doors, while Mary and Alice both approached Lily with questions all over their faces.

"What's going on, Lil?" asked Mary. "I know that you and James have had something going on, but that's not all that's happening. What's with you wanting to talk to Skeeter?"

"It's okay, Lily," Alice added after a moment. "You can tell us anything—you know we'll be behind you."

Lily's eyes almost bristled with tears again from the sheer worry showing in both their faces. How could she have ever even considered lying to them?

"Uhm, do you remember that story in the paper a few months ago? The one about, er, James and I…in the Astronomy Tower…"

They exchanged a confused look. "Yes," was their simultaneous answer.

"Well, er, as usual, Skeeter had an agenda with it. See, she's got something on James and his friends and if it gets out, they'll get in _huge _trouble. I don't mean docking house points or detention—or even expulsion. They could go to _prison_. But they didn't do anything wrong—it's just Skeeter's interpretation, really. But—"

"What does all this have to do with _you_, though?" asked Alice. "Just because James is in trouble doesn't mean he has to drag you down too."

"No! No, it wasn't his fault. Snape was with Skeeter. He told her the secret about James so that she would have a story to make it big with in exchange for…me."

They both frowned.

"Lily. Skeeter doesn't _own _you."

"I know, but Snape thought that if…if he tried to push James and I together it would blow up and I would go running back to him…"

"So it wasn't true," Mary deducted. "The story? Skeeter made that up and forced you two to go with it or something?"

"Exactly. She wanted us to keep up with all these stupid things. She kept saying that it was for her stories, but I _know _Snape told her to do it so that James and I would get caught up in it and…"

"And?"

"Well, we did, I guess." Lily stared straight at the floor and she realized that it was true. Skeeter's games, forcing them to act like a couple, really _made _them a couple. She couldn't deny that after a while, it started to get…comfortable. It was normal. They could forget that it was all part of a stupid plot and enjoy the company of one another.

"Oh, Lil…" Alice pulled her close in an embrace and Mary quickly followed suit.

"So what are you going to say to her?" asked Mary. "Lily, I'm sure we can make her drop it. We'll help you find a way."

"It's all right. I've already found something to get her with. But thanks guys—thanks a lot."

Alice grinned and put a hand on Lily's shoulder. "You know we've always got your back, Lil."

Lily left Mary and Alice, feeling much better after she'd told them everything she could, and found the others waiting out in the hall.

"Did you _have _to stop for a bloody chat?" Black asked moodily when she returned.

"Sirius, shut up, will you? She is helping us out, after all," Remus countered, shooting his friend a dark look.

"Oy, don't side with her! She probably won't be able to keep her trap shut and we'll end up having to skirt the edges of society!"

"Like you don't already," muttered Skeeter, rolling her eyes towards Sirius.

"Stop!" Lily's wand—which she'd grabbed out of pure instinct—sparked at the tip and she pointed it at Sirius. "_You _keep quiet. I won't tell anyone a single, bloody thing about Remus because he's my _friend_. And _you_," she then pointed it at Skeeter. "Come with us. Let's sort this thing out once and for all before the teachers hear us and come out here."

With Peter and Remus in the lead, Skeeter behind them, and Sirius trailing at the very back, James and Lily were left walking side-by-side as they all headed towards the dungeons—the place where they would most likely not be overheard or intruded upon.

Lily glanced over at him through her periphery, but he was staring at the floor, either not noticing her or simply forcing himself not to look. Either way, a lump formed in her throat as she wondered how he felt about what was happening. Maybe he was having second thoughts—what if he was starting to regret telling her about them?

But there wasn't much that could be done about it then, so she attempted to focus on the matter at hand.

"Okay, I'm all ears," Skeeter said once they entered an abandoned classroom that hadn't been used since their second year. "What do you want?"

"We want you to stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" Sirius demanded hotly.

Skeeter smirked. "I _didn't_. In a manner of speaking, I was employed, you oaf."

"We know," cut in Remus, before Sirius could counter her. "We've heard all about your agreement with Snape. That's why we're here."

"We know what made you do anything Snape said," added Peter, glancing over at Lily.

Skeeter followed his gaze and laid a mean one on Lily. "Apparently," she muttered through thin lips. "So, let's have it then. Tell them what it is that I've done, Evans."

Lily hesitated. What Skeeter did was probably one of the worst things a witch or wizard could do, and she deserved to be confined by it, but that didn't make the truth any harder to reveal.

The four of them were watching her expectantly, their curiousity growing with each passing second.

"She stole magic," Lily finally said quietly, as though simply saying the words was what made the act real. "From her older brother."

"Is that even _possible_?" asked Peter, looking at his mates.

"I'm sure, with something Dark," remarked Sirius, glaring at Skeeter. "What I want to know is how _Snivellus _sniffed this up. Got some of his Death Eater friends to do it, did you?"

Skeeter smirked. "_Actually_, Snape himself helped me." She glanced at Lily. "See, I had some friends growing up too, Evans. I got a _mouth full _of you from Snape, but it was worth it because I used to be a squib and now…well…now I'm not the disgrace to the family."

Sirius snorted with laughter at this.

"You don't seem very remorseful," noted James. "For doing something like that to your own brother."

Lily looked at him in surprise after his being silent for so long. He caught her eye, but looked away quickly.

Skeeter laughed, noticing the exchange. "Hmm… Looks like the two of _you _have some talking to do."

Lily blushed. "Don't change the subject, Skeeter. This doesn't have to be difficult. You know our secret, and now we know yours. How about a fair trade?"

"What? Just like _that_?" demanded Sirius. "We can't _trust _her."

"He's right," admitted Remus. "I don't like the sound of it."

"Make the Unbreakable Vow, Skeeter," dared Sirius after a moment. The others looked at him strangely. Lily didn't know much about it, but the Unbreakable Vow sounded pretty serious. "Just so we know she won't tell," he assured them. "It's the only way to be sure."

"With _you_? I don't think so, Black."

"With all of us," James cut in.

"Who will be the Bonder, then, genius?" asked Skeeter with a raised brow.

"Lily," he said at once. "She won't tell a soul anything."

Skeeter raised her other eyebrow and gave him a _look_. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Potter?"

"He'll cast it again for me," Lily said. "Whatever it takes. Let's just do it."

"_Fine_, then," she said, striding towards them. "But I'm watching _you two_. I'll find my story somehow, mark my words."

* * *

"What happens if you break it?" Lily asked quietly as they were walking back to Gryffindor tower. The spell had marked their arms with what appeared to be permanent intertwining burns, as though a rope had been tied around their wrists and a large imprint was left.

"You die," said Peter simply.

"So don't do it, idiot," remarked Sirius, shaking his head at her.

Lily looked up surprised. Honestly, she'd thought that he would give up hating her after she helped them, but apparently not.

Clenching her fists in frustration, she blew up at him. "What is your _problem_? If it wasn't for me, she'd still be hanging this over your heads!"

"If it wasn't for you, Snape wouldn't have done it in the first place!"

"Well I can't help _that_!"

"Sure you could have. Just don't sidle your arse up with the Slytherins."

Lily shook her head angrily. She wasn't going to put up with this, she decided, and walked on ahead of the others so that she could lose them. She didn't care how much she'd come to enjoy the company of these lunatics. If this was how things were going to be, then she had to just forget all about James Potter and his marauder friends.

* * *

When they got inside the Tower, he let her go to her dormitory without saying a single word to stop her. What could he say? 'Sorry that we had a rough start. You know, relationships forced into existence by pure evil with blonde ringlets are _destined _for failure, so it's not entirely our fault! What do you say we give it another go?'

Yeah. That would work out swell. Real swell.

It wasn't that he wasn't glad that Remus could sleep soundly without having to worry about everybody knowing about his _real _hairy little problem, nor did it have anything to do with his own relief about him, Sirius, and Peter not going to Azkaban for being unregistered Animagi. But he still missed how things were when he and Lily could be around each other for hours at a time without anything being wrong. Sure, Lily had only started to spend time with him because he begged her to in order to appease Skeeter and protect his secret, but he was _sure _that they'd crossed the line of friendship _somewhere_. She had kissed him, hadn't she? Nobody else had been there to see it, so it wasn't for show. It had been _real_. As real as anything.

"Don't look so glum, Prongs. How about we go down to the kitchens and get some victory food?" suggested Sirius, wagging his eyebrows. And then in undertone, "I've got a fifth of firewhiskey in my trunk saved from Halloween."

James shook his head. "I think I'll just go to bed."

"Suit yourself," replied Peter, shrugging his shoulders. "Coming Pads?"

"You two go on. I'll catch up."

He and Remus nodded and left. James headed up the stairs towards his dormitory with Sirius trailing after him. "Don't follow me, Sirius. I'm fine, just tired. I mean it."

"Codswallop. It's not about that girl, is it?"

Really? Did he _honestly _think that Lily was something James was just going to put in a shoe box and forget like any other old girlfriend?

"Sirius you _know _how much I care about Lily. Don't go acting like I'm going to just suddenly stop."

"I don't see what's so special about her. All she's done is cause trouble!"

James sank onto his four-poster and started laughing grimly. "All _we _do is cause trouble! Lily didn't _make _Snape and Skeeter do this, so stop pinning the blame on her." Suddenly he sat up again. "And you know what? She stuck through with us for _months_ doing this stupid charade all because I told her how much it meant to us. Who else would do that, Sirius? Any of the girls _you _go shagging around with in broom closets? Hm?"

"It doesn't matter," Sirius said quickly with a shrug of his shoulders. "What's the big deal?"

"I'm in _love _with her. That's the big deal!"

It was the first time he'd ever said that, aloud or otherwise, and it felt both liberating and constricting at the same time. Like he wanted to smile like a loon _and _vomit all over the place. But it was the truth; that much he was sure of.

Sirius stared at him for a few moments. "You don't mean that."

"Hell, I think I'm _crying_, Sirius!" he said in bewilderment as he wiped at his eyes and found them wet. "Merlin! Haven't I _told _you for years that I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't get one date with her?"

"It's true," murmured James, staring at the floor. "I'm in love with Lily Evans." The thought sent a tingle throughout his body, but also gave him a strong urge to hit something when he came to a realization.

"And I'll _never _get another chance with her," he added. "She's done with me. Not only did I wreck things when I got my chance, even if Skeeter was the one who had to give it to me, but my own _friends _wouldn't give her a chance." He couldn't help looking up at Sirius accusingly as he said this.

"I've given her chances, mate," said Sirius. "I've given her six years worth of chances! Has she ever shown any indication of doing anything but yelling at you? No! Why on earth should any of us believe it when, all of a sudden, she starts to like you after _Skeeter and Snape _set you two up, of all people! Don't you see anything fishy going on here? She's just pulling your wand!"

"I guess I'll never know, will I?"

They stared at one another for a while. "Look, James," Sirius finally began. "If I knew that she meant it, then you know I would be right behind you. I'll be your best man at the wedding, if you want me to. But I don't want you to fall for her if she's just going to hurt you in the end."

"Too late for that."

"Maybe," said Sirius.

* * *

When Lily woke up the next day she found the dormitory empty and the drapes already pulled back to allow the sunlight to stream in. Seeing that the room was quiet and empty, she briefly wondered where Mary and Alice had gone and why they hadn't woken her, but decided that she was glad because she'd needed the good night's sleep after all that had been going on lately.

She sat up and stretched; then, seeing that it was nearly midday, she decided that she'd best be getting up and making herself decent.

After she showered and her body was clothed and her hair brushed, Lily traipsed down the stairs to find the Gryffindor Common Room moderately busy, as it always was during the weekend. But after a glance around, she didn't see Mary, Alice, or anyone else that she particularly wanted to see. So she returned to her dormitory and retrieved her bag, thinking that she could go to the library and at least get her work done before lessons on Monday.

What to do, what to do, Lily wondered. She couldn't _exactly _go back to just hating Potter's guts. That just wouldn't be right. Besides that, who else would help her with Transfiguration? Mary was downright unreliable when it came to explaining things and Alice's area of expertise lay more in the Charms department, with her, _not _in Transfiguration. So, surely, Lily _must _continue the friendship if only for the sake of her homework. That was all. It wasn't like she _liked _him like that and wanted him around for _other _reasons. Nah, not really. Sure, he was good-looking and had the ability to be charming (at times), but who needed that? Psh. It wasn't always _all _about a charming smile or—or…you know…other Potter-ish stuff. PSH! Yeah. They could totally just be friends. Psh. Not even that. More like, friend-in-training/tutor and pupil. Yes, indeed. _That _was the destiny of her relationship with Potter.

As Lily was reassuring herself with these fallacies and continually attempting to convince herself that they _weren't _fallacies, she bumped right into someone and caused the girl to drop her books, which scattered when they hit the marble floor.

"I'm so sorry!" Lily said to a sixth-year girl named Cecilia Parkinson, who she barely recognized as one of the nicer cronies of Skeeter. She hastily bent to help Cecilia retrieve a few mix-matched pieces of parchment that had fallen out of one of her textbooks and arranged them in a pile before she handed them over. However, as she was holding them out for Cecilia, Lily's eyes strayed to the handwriting and she couldn't help but think that it looked quite familiar.

"It's okay," Cecilia said, taking her papers. "Actually, I've got something for you." She sifted through her bag and took out a small scroll. "Here ya go," she said, handing it to her,

"What's this?"

"I saw Sirius Black and his friends out on the grounds. He asked me to give this to you."

Cecilia grinned at her good-naturedly and, before she turned to walk away, she said, "See you around, Evans."

Lily blinked, not quite realizing the strangeness of Sirius passing a note on to her. She was still caught up in her thoughts of how she was sure she'd seen Cecilia's script before.

"Hey, wait!" Lily finally called after Cecilia had turned and taken several steps down the corridor.

Cecilia turned. "Yes?"

"Silent _Sue_?" Lily asked quietly, peering at Cecilia skeptically as her eyes darted this way and that, as though the moment might be lost if someone were to walk down the hall.

Cecilia raised an eyebrow and said, "Er, going a bit wonky there, Evans? It's Cecilia."

"Oh—oh, right. Of course," Lily said, flushing in embarrassment. "Sorry about that."

"_But_," Cecilia continued, "I'll let you in on a little secret—my _middle _name is Sue Ellen." She then bade Lily goodbye with a simple wave and cheery smile and went on her way while Lily stared after her, her brain rather frazzled from the exchange.

Had Cecilia just—was she—?

Lily shook her head to clear it, deciding it didn't really matter all that much anyways. Besides, the note that Cecilia had given her suddenly seemed very important.

She hastily unrolled it to reveal a short, swift message on the parchment, which read:

_Evans,_

_Take it from someone who knows, James cares about you a lot. So don't let any __of his bugger friends scare you off. _

_Give him another chance. He deserves it. _

_-Black_

Lily frowned. Was he _apologizing _to her? Well, as much as Sirius Black can apologize, that is. She stared at the words that said, "_James cares about you_" and her chest tightened. What if he was just saying that? But, then again, why would he care to write this at all if it wasn't true?

Not having a thought in the world for the consequences, she immediately went in the direction of the front doors to the castle, almost mechanically. Halfway along, Lily's step became faster until she opened the doors. Then, standing on the top step, she looked around at the students enjoying the first sunny day since the previous fall. Close to the lake, she spotted the person she was looking for and nearly fell over.

Oh, Merlin. Oh, dear, bleeding, batty Merlin.

Just as suddenly as she'd decided to do something, Lily was assaulted with the realization that she had no idea _what_ she was going to do.

What if Sirius was wrong? What if James had changed his mind and was glad about how things had turned out? Maybe, after getting to know the real Lily, he'd realized that he didn't really fancy her all that much and was glad to get out of it.

But, then again, what if he _did _still have feelings for her? And maybe, perhaps, if she had those same feelings, and she _told _him about this convenient sharing of similar feelings, then maybe, perhaps they could do something about it. Something good.

But, at the _same _time, she didn't want to just walk over and start babbling about hot chocolate and snogging in forests and the smell of soap and lilies and—and—and all sorts of other romantic things! For Merlin's sake, it wasn't like she was in some stupid Muggle teenage melodrama. But damn it all if that wasn't what it felt like!

"Hey, Lily!" The sound of her name pulled her attention and her gaze upwards.

Simultaneously, she learned two things: one, she had—for some reason—been walking onto the grass, towards James and his friends, and two, if she didn't make like a Hippogriff and grow wings, she was likely going to be _plowed _by the flying tree branch that was coming her way.

Miraculously, however, she managed to throw herself in the other direction so that the branch missed her, but she knocked right into some other poor soul.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she mumbled as she shook her head and massaged a knot growing on her temple. "I'm not having my most graceful day ever…"

"I can see that," the victim of her ill-intended tackle responded, putting his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

Lily knew that voice! She would know that voice _anywhere_!

Her worries were confirmed when she snapped her eyes open and found herself inches from one James Potter.

"Holy—" Lily stared, wide-eyed, unable to really sum up her feelings in words. She'd never really figured it out until this point, but James had that way about him that made her unable to keep her mouth from shooting off. So when the next thing that escaped her lips was "hot damn," she silently cursed him as her cheeks reddened to a shade that surpassed that of her fiery locks.

He pulled a face that was somewhere in between a puzzled look marked with raised eyebrows and a smirking expression of amusement. "Well, er, most people just call me Potter or James, but I'll take that."

If possible, more blood rushed to her cheeks, leaving the rest of her body feeling like she'd collapse if she tried to move at all.

"Er, sorry," she spat out, just for the sake of not looking like a mute idiot, though she was sure she'd already made that impression. "I didn't mean to say that. I—er—meant to say shot damn—I—I mean damn good shot. With the…er…branch and all…and—"

"It's all right," he intervened, apparently noting her current troubles with vocabulary. "You haven't _quite _killed me yet." Then, when she didn't say anything to this, he sighed and told her, "Well, I'll see you, Evans."

He was already a few steps away before her inner-Lily bonked her a good one right over the head and she called after him, jogging to catch up.

He turned and raised a questioning eyebrow in response.

"Er…hi," she said once she reached him, though she immediately wanted to kick herself for such a stupid conversation opener. Because, really, any guy would just be _stunned _into falling in love with her by such kick-ass eloquence, right?

"Salutations…?" James said back, his puzzled, yet grinning face coming back as he seemed to search her, as though expecting to find an idiot label on her forehead.

"You know what, this is ridiculous. You're Lily Evans! Just _say something_."

"…What?"

Lily blushed again and looked up. "What? I didn't say anything."

Grinning as though trying to hold in a peal of laughter, James nodded. "Yes, yes you did. Something about you being Lily Evans and saying something."

Well, damn! _That _wasn't supposed to happen! Oh, hell with it all. Things couldn't possibly get any worse, so she was going to just go for it!

"I have to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Uhm" she began (again with the fantastic eloquence, she chided herself), "I wanted to apologize…"

"So you're asking my permission…to apologize to me…for…?"

"Permission?"

They both raised eyebrows at each other.

"You said you had to ask me something," he reminded her.

"Oh—well, er, forget what I said. Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for—"

"You really don't need to apologize for anything," he interrupted with a coarse shrug. "I'm a big boy, I can handle myself—"

"—for hurting you," Lily continued through gritted teeth.

"—I'm not hurt. I'm in perfectly healthy condition. Well, actually, your rather large head hurt a bit, but I'll be okay, I just need to go over to Poppy and get some—"

"SHUT UP! FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN JUST SHUT UP!"

Enraged, red, and frustrated, Lily glared at him while he immediately closed his mouth and stared at her with a rather surprised look on his face.

"You know," he finally said, "That's not a good way to end an apology."

"You know what, James! I don't care! I _don't care_! I _was _going to tell you I'm sorry for hurting you because, for some reason, I started thinking that I actually really like you! But hell no! A girl can't even tell you that she recently discovered that she really, really likes and that she might even be bloody in love with you without your big mouth opening and ruining it! So now, you can just stick it right up your _arse _and hope it doesn't—"

No. He. Did. _Not_.

Oh, but he _did_. He pulled the hand-over-mouth card.

"Did you just say that you're in love with me?"

Pissed beyond measure, Lily wrenched his hand away from her face and said, "Er…no! _No! _I'd have to be bloody _insane _to say or even think such things! Did you hear that, James? You drive me _insane_! I'm going to have to be put in bleeding _St. Mungo's_ for this! I will never be the same! I'll have to be cut off from the world, cut off from civilization! I'm never going to be _normal _because of this! Because of you and your idiotic tendencies!"

Smirking, James asked, "So _what_, exactly, do you claim that I did to you?"

"You made me insane!"

"Clearly," he observed. "So, you admit that I have _such _an effect on you that my mere presence induces insanity. Is that right?"

Lily's anger diminished in a split second as he came closer to her and was replaced by unwanted nerves.

"Er…"

"But you don't seem very crazy at the moment," he observed, coming closer with each passing second.

"Very, very crazy…" she muttered, hardly following what he was saying.

"Are you _sure_?"

"Huh? Wah?"

Woah. All of a sudden everything was going all _fuzzy_.

He was now so close that she felt his breath on her face her lightheadedness left her dazed and unfocused. "I dunno…" she mumbled detachedly, leaning forward and giving in to the temptation of kissing his conveniently placed mouth.

It was pretty wonderful, really. She could not deny that he was an _excellent _kisser… It was nearly perfect. She was just waiting for the—

"OI, get a room! Some of us are trying to keep our breakfast down, thanks! Bloody wankers…"

—fireworks.

Hm. That wasn't _exactly _what she'd had in mind…

She and James broke the kiss and he chuckled, looking over at his friends as Sirius feigned gagging and Remus and Peter rolled their eyes at him, laughing along with James. His hand crept over to hers and clasped it. She looked down and grinned at their intwined fingers.

Well, close enough.

* * *

"Hey Alfie!" Lily sat down next to her freckly Hufflepuff mate, all a glow from the events of the weekend.

"Oh…er, hi, Lily."

"So how've you been? I haven't seen you in a while."

"Been okay, I suppose. I've—"

"_EVANS!_" A slew of girls than fiercely ran over to crowd their desk, brandishing copies of the latest _Hogwarts Herald_.

"Evans, is it _true_?" one of them asked, gesturing towards the title that read _Evans's Faux Beau_. "Did you and Potter really _fake_?"

"Couldn't tell you, ladies," Lily replied with a glare. "You see, I was _trying _to have a nice conversation with my friend Alfie, here, before you very _rudely _interrupted him."

The four girls stared at Lily, obviously offended, but backed away over to the desks on the other side of the room.

At that time, James walked into the classroom accompanied by Sirius, Remus, and Peter, and greeted her with a kiss (the hoard of girls all gasped in unison and one actually started crying while the others tried to comfort her).

"So, Alfie," she continued after James sat in the seat across the aisle from her, next to Sirius, "What were you saying again?"

But when she turned to look back at him, he has an eyebrow raised at her.

"What?"

He glanced at James and then smirked. "I thought that those girls just came over claiming that the _Herald _said you two faked the whole thing?"

"Oh. Well, we _aren't_, you know, anymore… That paper is _old_, Alfie! Not current at all!"

"I thought it was printed yesterday."

Lily blushed. "Well, er, a lot's happened since yesterday morning! Like, uhm…" She glanced over at James, who winked at her, and blushed again. "Like…a lot of…stuff."

"So you just go around and let anybody kiss you these days?"

"No!" Lily protested at once, worried that he might get the wrong idea. "No, not at all. I guess, you know, we kinda _are_. Now, that is. Dating, I mean. Me and James. James and I, actually—want to be grammatically correct, right?"

Alfie stared at her with a peculiar expression on his face like he was of the opinion that she was hardly making any sense at all. And Lily was of the opinion that he was most likely right. James Potter could do that to a person. Well, a girl, that is.

"It's…er…it's _complicated_…"

Alfie nodded, still looking like he thought she was an eccentric loony. "Right…"

* * *

**A/N:** IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME! Yeah, I realize that I'm pretty much talking to myself since it's really my fault for taking so long, _but _I sometimes feel like the story itself is somewhat to blame as well. Dunno what it is. I guess it _does _have a mind of its own. It uses mind control and decides, "_I shall not be written today!_" Hm. Perhaps I shouldn't write authors' notes at 11:40ish at night... Probably not the best idea, considering how strange I already am when I'm _not _tired. Anyways! I am finally DONE and I hope that you enjoyed this because I certainly enjoyed writing it. Despite my long absences between chapters, I honestly am fond of this story. I'm just also very good at procrastinating ;) I'll leave you now, though, with HUMONGOUS thanks for anybody and everybody who actually had the patience to stick with this! I appreciate every single reader and every single review very much. You are all AWESOME. Ta ta, everybody, until next time, and I hope you all enjoy your summers! :)


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